One to watch

The PGA Northern Branch launched its winter series at Dungannon, with a Ping Ulster Golfers’ Alliance outing, when new face Ross Oliver from Galgorm Castle shared top of the leaderboard with Damian Mooney.

The pair both posted a five-under-par 67 with Mooney (above) fresh from finishing second in the Cassidy Golf Irish PGA Championship, at Roganstown over the weekend, just one stroke behind winner Michael McGeady.

At Dungannon, the Ballyliffin attaché stormed off with birdie four at the first hole but then dropped shots at the second and third before getting into his stride with a wedge to two feet for birdie three at the fourth. After missing the green, at the long seventh hole, Mooney chipped and putted for birdie to turn one-under-par.

He then holed a 15-footer for birdie three at 10 and followed up with a hat-trick of birdies from the 12th going 4-3-3, being on in two blows at 12, wedging to six feet at 13 and almost driving the green at 14. However, he missed out on the overall lead when he missed another birdie from three feet on the home green.

It was a two-tee start at Dungannon and Oliver got his troubles out of the way immediately when greenside sand cost him a shot at the eighth hole, where he teed off. Birdies from 10, eight and eight feet at 11, 14 and 18 were followed with three more birdies on the front nine.

He pitched and putted from just off the green for a four at the long first hole and rifled a pitching wedge to 12 feet for a two at six. He then polished off his round with another pitch and putt birdie four from 10 yards short of the green.

The amateurs’ gross prize was won by Ballymena international plus-four handicapper Dermott McElroy who matched the pros’ 67 while the nett award went to Enda McStravog, from the host club, on 46 points. The team award also stayed at home in Dungannon.