Higgins is crowned 1st "Race To Mount Juliet" Champion.

37 year old Waterville professional David Higgins was crowned the 1st Lexus " Race To Mount Juliet " Champion in association with Ping and Failte Ireland, after he returned a fantastic 7 under par 65 around the magnificent Mount Juliet championship course.

Higgins held the No1 position on the Irish PGA order of merit since he won the Quinn Insurance Pro - Am at Slieve Russell back in June with a 12 under par scoreline of 132. With further wins at Monkstown & Wexford, along with 4 runner up prizes kept him in pole position, until David Mortimer won the Irish PGA Championship at Seapoint.

The following week, David got back to No1 when he shared the winning score at Fota Island with Damien Mooney. The stage was set for a great battle at Mount Juliet with the top 30 from the Irish PGA order of merit lined up for an 18 hole shoot - out.

The final three ball was made up with the top 3 from the order of merit, David Higgins, David Mortimer and Damien Mooney. With so much at stake, all three got off to a slow nervous start. Higgins lost a shot at the 4th to go one over par, but settled down with birdies at the 7th and 8th to turn on one under par. Mooney was level par and Mortimer was one over par.

Higgins showed his quality over the back nine. He birdied the long 10th, short 11th and par 4, 12th. After finding the bunker at the short 14th, he ended all hopes of anybody catching him when he holed the bunker shot and then followed up with further birdies at the 15th & 17th for a brilliant round of 65 ( -7 ).Damien Mooney was runner up with a 3 under par 69 to move into 2nd place on the order of merit ahead of Irish Champion David Mortimer who had a poor round of 78.

The win was worth €4,000, plus as No1 on the order of merit Higgins picked up a €10,000 bonus. He is guaranteed a place in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and a place in next years Irish Open. Along with Damien Mooney and David Mortimer, Higgins will play in next months Srixron British & Irish PGA play - offs at Little Aston. The winner can expect at least a further 4 more invites to main European Tour tournaments.

The top 8 from the Irish PGA order of merit will play in next years Irish Open. They are David Higgins, Damien Mooney, David Mortimer, John Kelly, Darren McWilliams, Barrie Trainor, Michael Collins and Eamon Brady.

Michael McCumisky, secretary of the Irish PGA said " The race to Mount Juliet has been running since April and has been a great success. All credit goes to the sponsors, Lexus, Mount Juliet, Ping and Failte Ireland." He introduced the Irish PGA Captain, Eamonn Logue. Eamonn said " On behalf of all the Professionals I would like to thank Kevin O'Reilly from Lexus, Colin Donovan, General manager of the Mount Juliet estate, Brian O'Regan from Ping and Failte Ireland. The race to Mount Juliet generated a great interest for the Professionals all year and can only get bigger and better."

Final Race To Mount Juliet Results.

1 David Higgins ( Waterville ) 65 ( -7 ) €4,000.00 + ( €10,000. ) Bonus money.
2 Damian Mooney ( Unattached ) 69 ( -3 ) €2,800.00 + ( €2,500. ) Bonus money.
3 Ted Higgins ( foreireland.com ) 71 €1,666.66
Brendan McDermott ( Castlecomer ) 71 €1,666.66
Peter Martin ( Riverside Golf Academy ) 71 €1,666.66
Jimmy Bolger ( Kilkenny ) 71 €1,666.66
Robert Giles ( Greenore ) 71 €1,666.66
Glen Robinson ( St Helen's Bay ) 71 €1,666.66
9 Brendan McGovern ( Headfort ) 72 €1,012.50
Philip Walton ( foreireland.com ) 72 €1,012.50
Michael Collins ( foreireland.com ) 72 €1,012.50
Darren McWilliams ( Unattached ) 72 €1,012.50
13 David Hughes ( Massereene ) 73 €608.00
John P. Dolan ( Dunfanaghy ) 73 €608.00
David Ryan ( Cahir Park ) 73 €608.00
Mark Staunton ( foreireland.com ) 73 €608.00
Eamonn Brady ( Clontarf ) 73 €608.00
18 Peter Jones ( Coollattin ) 74 €510.00
Donald Gleeson ( Old Conna ) 74 €510.00
John Dwyer ( Ashbourne ) 74 €510.00
Mark O'Sullivan ( Ashbourne ) 74 €510.00
Michael McDermott ( Pure Golf Leopardstown ) 74 €510.00
23 Cian McNamara ( Limerick Golf Club ) 75 €475.00
Barrie Trainor ( Team Ireland Golf ) 75 €475.00
25 Seamus McMonagle ( Edmondstown ) 76 €450.00
John Dignam ( Slade Valley ) 76 €450.00
John Kelly ( St.Margaret's Golf ) 76 €450.00
28 David Mortimer ( foreireland.com ) 78 €430.00 + ( €5,000 ) Bonus Money.
29 Connor Mallon ( Narin & Portnoo ) RTD €415.00
Neil Manchip ( GUI National Academy ) RTD €415.00