Higgins has positive start at Moyvalley

David Higgins got his Irish PGA Championship week off to a positive start with victory in Wednesday pre-tournament pro-am.

The Waterville man carded a three under par 69 on a warm, windswept day at Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort to win by two shots.

Higgins has won the last two events on the PGA in Ireland schedule and starts Thursday's  Championship as one of the pre-event favourites. Another of the fancied contenders, Colm Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance) finished in second place alongside Cian McNamara (Monkstown Golf Club), Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge Golf Club) and Daniel Beattie (Deer Park Hotel & Spa).

The team event was won by Eamonn Brady (Clontarf Golf Club) and amateur partners Tom Muldoon, Nudie Hughes and Thomas Hughes with a total of 94 points.

Reigning Irish PGA champion, Damien McGrane, who carded a level par 72 in Wednesday's pro-am gets his Championship defence underway at 1pm on Thursday alongside Simon Thornton and Michael McDermott (Grange Golf Club).

Higgins, meanwhile, tees off at 8.20am in a group that includes Donal Gleeson (Old Conna Golf Club) and David Ryan (Cahir Park Golf Club).

The opening tee shots in the 107^th Irish PGA Championship will be struck at 8am Thursday with the final four-ball getting underway at 2.30pm. Spectators are welcome and entry is free.