Sport

Jerry Scullion secures Ulster PGA Championship crown

<span id="ge:content-irishnews:1:-1:irishnews:irishnews:288807:content" class="ge_be_field ge_be_field_content">Jerry Scullion has shot out of the pack to grab  the biggest win of his career on the PGA in Ireland circuit.</span>
Jerry Scullion has shot out of the pack to grab the biggest win of his career on the PGA in Ireland circuit. Jerry Scullion has shot out of the pack to grab the biggest win of his career on the PGA in Ireland circuit.

Jerry Scullion has fired a best of the week eight under par round of 64 to win the HBE PGA Ulster Championship title at Hilton Templepatrick.

The Kikeel professional, level par overnight, shot out of the pack to grab the biggest win of his career on the PGA in Ireland circuit.

“It's an absolutely fantastic feeling to win today,” the 32-year-old said.

“It's nine years since I won the Irish Assistant's Match-Play. I enjoyed every moment of it today, everything worked and it's just fantastic to come out on top.

“This last couple of weeks I felt the game was good, but I wasn't producing good scores. On Tuesday here in the Pro-Am I felt that if I holed a putt of two I could shoot a low one.

“I took a lot of confidence from my level par opening round and then today got off to a hot start – four under through five.

“I got to five under par and then eagled 16. Once I did that I thought I maybe had a chance of doing something. I was thinking that I needed to eagle 18 to get to nine under but thankfully the birdie got me to eight under and that was good enough.”

Mark Staunton (Delgany GC) and Michael McDermott (Pure Golf Leopardstown) finished tied for second on seven under par.

Overnight leader, David Higgins (Waterville), carded a second round 71 to finish in a tie for fourth alongside Colm Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance) and Eamonn Brady (Clontarf GC) who collected the Order of Merit title for 2015.

“I'm really delighted, it [topping the OoM] was my only goal this year,” Brady said.

“I put a lot of hard work into things this season. I played really solid all year and it's nice to come out on top.”

Jerry Scullion will be back in action next week, at the PGA in the North of Ireland Championship at Downpatrick GC.

“My two wee girls are getting a bit older now so the plan is get a wee bit fitter and stronger over the winter and then give it a good bang next season,” added Jerry.

“This win is just the perfect incentive I needed.”

HBE PGA Ulster Championship

Sponsored by HBE

at Hilton Templepatrick (par 72)

Final leading scores

1 J Scullion (Kilkeel GC) 72/64 -8

T2 M Staunton (Delgany GC) 70/67; Michael McDermott (Pure Golf Leopardstown) 69/68 -7

T4 C Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance) 73/65; E Brady (Clontarf GC) 69/69; D Higgins (Waterville) 67/71 -6

T7 N O'Briain (Old Conna GC) 69/70; D Mooney (Ballyliffin) 68/71 -5

T9 C Curley (Royal Tara GC) 68/72; B McGovern 68/72 -4