Thursday, December 19, 2024

Simon Walker and Emma Fleming best in Irish Intervarsity Championship at Bundoran

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Walker signed off with a three-under 67 at the Donegal links to win the 54-hole event by five strokes on 10-under-par from his Maynooth University team-mate Aodhagan Brady.

“I had no real expectations coming in here this week, but the game is kind of trending well and just seemed to click,” said Walker, who followed an opening 68 with a 65 to lead Brady and another Maynooth star in AIG Irish Close champion Thomas Abom by two strokes.

“Decent round the first day, and then all came together on the back nine yesterday, which put me into a position coming into today, and then the putter got hot at the start of today and took off from there then.”

Walker got off to an ideal start in blustery conditions, knocking in birdies at the first, second and fourth before following a bogey at the fifth with a birdie at the seventh to turn in three-under 32 to Brady’s 34 and Abom’s 40.

He bogeyed the 10th, but following his fifth birdie of the day on the par-three 13th, he held a commanding six-shot lead over Sligo man Brady.

With one hand on the trophy, Walker continued his excellent play making yet another birdie at the 17th to help him on his way to a closing round of three-under 67 and an impressive five-shot victory.

UCD’s Emma Fleming retained the Irish Intervarsity Championship at Bundoran

It was a day of double celebration for Walker as Maynooth University retained the team championship.

The Maynooth University 2 trio of Walker, James Walsh and Liam Abom combined to shoot eight-under-par and win on a countback from Brady, Jordan Boles and Thomas Abom.

“We have a great squad this year, so it’s been nice to get one up on a few of the lads back in Maynooth,” Walker confessed. “I nearly threw it away on the last with a three-putt but there was a good bit of slagging going on back in the house between Maynooth 1 and Maynooth 2, so it’s a few bragging rights now that we have earned.”

Maynooth University 3, comprising Cian Harkin, James O’Rourke and Seán McLoughlin, claimed third place with Trinity College 1 fourth, UCC fifth and DCU1 sixth.

Elm Park star Fleming won the women’s title for the second year running, finishing tied 17th overall on 10-over.

The Dubliner followed a 72 with a 77 before closing with a 71 to finish on 10-over.

AIG Insurance

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