Harrington lights up Seapoint
HAVING FUN . . . World number 11 Pádraig Harrington in action at a sun-bathed Seapoint Golf Club last Thursday. Picture: Paul Mohan
Friday February 13 2004
Harrington’s performance was in keeping with his world ranking of 11, and hundreds of spectators took full advantage of a rare opportunity to view Europe’s leading player.
Mr Carrie said this week: ‘Padraig came across very friendly and easy to speak with, and he mixed very well with the people.
‘The conditions were very breezy, but Pádraig had the best score of the day and the scoring in general was good considering the wind.’
Seapoint professional David Carroll and Ardee five-handicapper Paul Wisniewski were among Harrington’s closest pursuers.
Of course, last week’s Links Society outing was just one of a number of big tournaments coming to the Louth/Meath coast during 2004.
The Nissan Irish Open at Co Louth in July will have top billing, but Seapoint stages the Leinster Youth Championships from May 31 to June 2, before playing host to the Irish Ladies Senior Open from September 13 to 15.
Meanwhile, Baltray-based European Tour player Gary Murphy improved on his 53rd-place finish in the Walker Classic in Bangkok two weeks ago, earning a cheque for e12,633 for equal 22nd position in the Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne in Australia on Sunday.
Links Society scores
70 P Harrington (Mount Juliet); 72 Z Rouillier (scr, Spawell); 73 D Carroll (scr, Seapoint); 74 P Wisniewski (5, Ardee), L Canning (4, Greystones); 75 A Walton (4, The Island), B McKenna (5, Royal Tara), A Heverin (6, Hermitage), L Walker (scr, Dundalk), M Campbell (scr, Stackstown); 76 J Clynch (2, Laytown & Bettystown); 77 E Brady (scr, Royal Dublin); 78 K Stevenson (scr, Banbridge), P Gray (6, Hermitage), A Kennedy (6, Hermitage), J Doyle (8, St Anne’s), J Hutchinson (1, Royal Dublin), P Cooney (8, Royal Tara).
Prize winners
Nett: 1st P Harrington 70, 2nd P Wisniewski 74, 3rd L Canning 74, 4th A Walton 75, 5th B McKenna 75, 6th A Heverin 75.
Team: M Campbell, P Gray, L Fitzgerald.
Gross: 1st Z Rouillier 72, 2nd D Carroll 73, 3rd L Walker 75, 4th M Campbell 75, 5th E Brady 77, 6th J Clynch 78.
Over-50: P O’Brien 77, T Halpin 79.
•Harrington wins new friends – see Page 10 in the main section.
