David Higgins completes Irish PGA Championship hat-trick

HAT-TRICK: Waterville's David Higgins. File pic: Patrick Bolger/Getty Images

Waterville's David Higgins survived a final hole triple bogey at Carne Golf Links to win the Irish PGA Championship for the third time - moving level with Damien McGrane and Simon Thornton on the honours list.

His level-part total after three rounds saw him win by one shot from Thornton, with Kilkenny's Jimmy Bolger two shots further back. 

“To win it once is a great achievement, to win it three times is just unbelievable," Higgins told Irish Golfer. "I’m just so happy to be alongside Damien and Simon, over the moon.

Of his final hole disaster, Higgins said: "I played lovely for three rounds and just made a mess of the wind off the tee and just missed it, pulled two balls straight left. lacked a bit of concentration. I’m in a bit of shock I’m absolutely delighted.

“It’s such a huge part of my family I’ve won it a few times now and I’m so happy for myself and my family and we will have some great celebrations. Eddie Hackett designed Carne and he was the original designer of Waterville so there are a lot of similarities I feel at home on the links!”

The event was interrupted by a six-hour weather delay on Friday, requiring a shotgun start for the final round on Saturday. 

“Today wasn’t so bad," Higgins said, "it was a nice links day yesterday was extremely difficult. I’m old enough to know that nothing is won until the final putt or whatever is hit. Today was about getting the win and having the best score and I did that even though I didn’t end up having the best score today but that was my mindset.”