The lack of competitive golf didn't deter Greenore (Co. Louth) pro Robert Giles as he comfortably led the field today in the Irish qualifying round of Britain and Ireland's flagship event for club professionals.
Robert, who hadn't struck a serious ball since the PGAs of Europe International Team Championship last December, shot a level-par 72 over County Louth near Drogheda in the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship, and now heads back to his home county of Yorkshire for the 72-hole final at Moortown, Leeds, at the end of July.
"I've been here in Ireland since 1993, but it'll be nice to go back to a course I've played often, and enjoy very much."
Giles, who's 37, and was good enough to make the cut in The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 1998, was hard pressed to raise much enthusiasm for his mixed bag of scores - four birdies, four bogeys and the rest pars. "I got it round, that was about it, and kept it in play."
Runner-up a stroke behind was Ballyliffin head pro, John P Dolan, who reached the turn in a level-par 37 after two birdies and two bogeys. A solitary dropped shot at the par-four 16th was his only inward flaw.
Lee Owens, pro at the attractive nine-hole course at Killiney, overlooking Dublin Bay, looked as if he was going nowhere after an outward nine of 40. Further losses at the 11th and 13th reinforced that notion, but a brilliant eagle at the 492-yard closing hole eased him to a 75, comfortably inside the qualifying limit.
Headfort's Brendan McGovern, twice a member of the Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team (the club pros' version of the Ryder Cup), maintained his record of never having failed to qualify for the final since 1992, this time with a card that displayed, if little else, a certain neatness - two birdies, two bogeys and two double bogeys.