2022 in Review: World top golfers enthrall galleries at JP McManus Pro Am in Adare

AMERICAN golfer Xander Schauffele reigned supreme after the two-day JP McManus Pro Am came to a thrilling end in July at the Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort.

Schauffele shot a two-under-par second round to seal his win, following his course record in the opening round.

Almost 40,000 spectators attended the two-day event - the sixth staging of the Pro-Am - with many millions once again raised for Irish charitable organisations.

Ten of the world’s top 11 golfers took part in the sold-out event, which was also broadcast live on Virgin Media and Sky Sports, as well as The Golf Channel in the USA. Four recent Major championship winners Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa lined up, alongside the likes of 15-time Major champion Tiger Woods, who again proved a huge draw.

2022 Pro-Am winner Schauffele laid the foundation for his win at Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort after taking a three-shot lead into Tuesday's final round in over the Adare layout.

Fellow American Sam Burns carded a seven-under 65 on the final day to finish second on nine under. Ireland's Shane Lowry shot 67 on Tuesday to finish a further stroke back in third place.

Tiger Woods who again drew a large gallery around the magnificent Adare layout, followed an opening-round 77 with an improved 74 on the second day.

Meanwhile, the team event was won by the Gerry McManus team, comprising of Mark McManus, Cormac McManus and Gerry McManus.

The team, who played with former multiple Major winner Mark O'Meara in the second round, finished with a score of -37. The winners had four shots to spare over the PGA Catalunya team.

In fourth place was the Aisling Annacotty AFC team.

Meanwhile, three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington said he believed the golf course at Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort is the 'best venue in the world'.

Harrington was among a glittering array of golfing superstars who showcased their talents during the sixth staging of the JP McManus Pro Am .

Dubliner Harrington won the Irish Open on the course in 2007. In doing so, he became the first Irish winner of the tournament in 25 years.

As part of the recent entire redevelopment of Adare Manor, renowned American golf course architect Tom Fazio was chosen to conduct the comprehensive redesign of the course. The venue will host the Ryder Cup in five years time in 2027.

2022 US Seniors Open winner Harrington enthused about Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort: “The best way of me describing this golf course is, I could turn around to my wife and say, “look, I'm going playing golf and my wife will go, "Yeah, fine."

“If I turn around and go and say, I'm going to play golf at Adare, my wife will is say, "Yeah, I'm coming." It's the best venue in the world as far as I'm concerned.

“I've loving the reaction I've got so far from the players who have seen it because I knew how good it is. I hear they are going to go out there and be blown away.

“Bear in mind the golf course is set up, if you ranked it on a scale of one to 10 in terms of difficulty, it would be a five this week. This course can be really tough but because there's amateurs here playing, it's set up to be just a nice play this week.

“So it will be interesting. I'm interested to see how the scoring is and how everybody likes it. For me it's a fascinating golf course because it can play - I can come down here and playoff the forward tees and it's really easy. I know how hard it is when you play it off some of the tougher pins to the back tees.

I think the players - I was somewhat involved with Fazio designed the golf course, but all the Irish players were down here and somewhat involved with the theme of the golf course, you know, what's going to happen.

“I'm so keen to see how the players feel about it because I think it's the ultimate test of being pretty nice golf course and easy enough for the amateurs, and yet can be very difficult for the pros.”