Ireland's big four played their first tournament together all as major champions in the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio and the result was decidedly underwhelming.
Rory McIlroy got a share of sixth place, although he never really threatened to run off with the title. He shot 10-under-par 270 (68-68-67-67), which left a 7-stroke gap between him and Adam Scott, the medalist.
McIlroy began the final round with a bogey at the first hole, but avoided any mistakes the rest of the way, while helping himself to four birdies.
"It's been a very productive week to . . . shoot four rounds in the 60s, have a good weekend," McIlroy said. "There's a lot of positives going into [this week's PGA Championshipin Atlantic], which is great. It would have been nice to give myself a little more of a chance to win this week, just didn't hole enough putts."
Darren Clarke's first tournament since his British Open victory resulted in a 68th-place tie. He shot 292 (77-74-69-72), which was 12 strokes over par.
Clarke was paired with the prodigal Tiger Woods for the first 36 holes, which saw the Portrush native mired with 12 bogeys and two double bogeys offset by only three birdies and an eagle.
Much has been made about the friendship that has developed over the years between Clarke and Woods, and Clarke had his own take on why they bonded.
"Similar build, similar color, similar stature," Clarke said facetiously. "We just got on really well. He sort of got my sense of humor and I got his."
Padraig Harrington finished joint-59th at 286 (71-70-73-72), while Graeme McDowell was alone in 65th position at 289 (71-72-75-71).
The quartet now makes its way to Atlanta for this week's PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club.
IRISH PGA
The outcome of the 101st Irish PGA Championship was seldom in doubt as Simon Thornton led from start to finish to post a 6-stroke victory over Gary Murphy at Seapoint in Termonfeckin, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Thornton played almost bogey-free golf the entire way, not blemishing his card until the 11th hole on Sunday. He effectively won the event when he trimmed six strokes off par over a 6-hole span on the front nine in the final round. He carded rounds of 66 each day, except Saturday, which came up 71, for an aggregate 269.
Murphy shot 275 (70-72-64-69) for second place, with Des Smyth (67-68-71-70) and Seamus McMonagle (70-66-73-67) tied for third place at 276. Two-time victor David Mortimer, who won this event last year, finished joint-21st at 288 (69-73-75-71).
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
Alison Walshe returned to the land of her birth to notch a joint-third place finish in the Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle in Dunsany, Co. Meath. This represents the best professional finish for the Galway native, who now resides in Massachusetts.
Walshe held a share of the first-round lead at 6-under par 66 with a round that produced seven birdies and one bogey. In fact, she responded to the lone bogey (at 14) with three consecutive birdies. She was still in with a chance, two strokes off the lead, after the second round. Norway's Suzann Pettersen, however, shot closing rounds of 63 and 64 in this 54-hole event to stake her claim to the title. Walshe let runner-up honors slip from her grasp with a double-bogey 6 at 17 in the final round, although she closed out with birdie at 18.
Walshe shot 66, 70 and 69 to finish at 205, which was seven strokes off Pettersen's winning score. The Maguire sisters, Leona and Lisa, both made the 36-hole cut. Leona had a hole-in-one at the 155-yard sixth hole on Sunday en route to a share of 33rd place at 217 (73-72-72). Lisa tied for 40th place at 218 (71-68-79).
Pettersen, ranked no. 3 in the world, set a course record with her 63. This is her second victory in this event.
Killeen Castle will host the Solheim Cup next month, when Europe takes on the United States. The Solheim Cup is a distaff equivalent of the Ryder Cup.
ADAMS PRO TOUR SERIES
Fergal Rafferty shared 16th place in the Southwest Kansas Pro-Am at The Golf Club at Southwind and Buffalo Dunes in Garden City, Kan. His 277 (67-73-70-67) was nine strokes under par and left him 10 behind medalist Chris Ward.
EGOLF PROFESSIONAL TOUR
Seamus Power's first-round 67 had him in the thick of the chase at the Grand Harbor Open at Patriot Golf Club and The Golf Club at Star Fort in Ninety Six, S.C. He was still in contention after shooting 68 in the second round, but he backpedaled thereafter. Closing rounds of 71 and 72 dropped him into a share of 22nd place. His 278 was nine strokes under par and 10 off the mark set by the victorious Chris Kamin.
Power had one sequence in the opening round where he birdied five consecutive holes at Star Fort. His final round was marred by a triple-bogey 8 at the fifth hole, although he finished impressively with birdies at 16, 17 and 18.
