Maynooth University student Simon Walker capped off a fantastic three days of play in Bundoran to claim the Irish Intervarsity Championship with a dominant final round display on the County Donegal links.
2023 women’s champion, Emma Fleming would also go on to retain her crown as the UCD student carded rounds of 72, 77 and 71 to finish T17 overall on +10.
Walker teed up in blustery conditions on Friday morning holding a two-shot lead over fellow Maynooth students Thomas Abom and Aodhagan Brady and the Roscommon golfer showed no signs of letting that advantage slip when taking just 32 shots for a front nine score of -3.
A bogey on 10 did threaten to let his competitors close the gap but Walker quickly steadied himself and following his fifth birdie of the day on the par 3 13th he held a a commanding six shot lead over nearest rival Brady.
With one hand on the trophy as Walker approached his closing five holes, he continued his excellent play making yet another birdie on 17 to help him on his way to a closing round 67 for a -10 total and an impressive five shot victory.
“I had no real expectations coming in here this week, but game is kind of trending well and just seemed to click this week. 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 kind of took off from there then,” said Walker.
“I haven’t had the best of seasons this year, so it is nice to finish off well. It has been a great week.”
There would be double delight too for Walker and Maynooth University as the team championship would return to the Kildare college once again with the trio of James Walsh, Liam Abom and the 2024 men’s champion combining for an -8 total. A countback seeing them finish ahead of fellow colleagues Brady, Jordan Boles and Thomas Abom, giving “Maynooth 2” the bragging rights this year.
“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,” said Walker.
“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.”
This is the fourth successive Intervarsities title for a Maynooth student with Walker following Liam Abom, Kate Dwyer and Aaron Marshall and the sixth overall including Declan Loftus (2014) and Gary Hurley (2012).