Botham took advantage of warm sunshine and a light breeze on the Irish coast, around 45 minutes north of Dublin, to rack up one eagle and four birdies. He started slowly from the 12th tee but caught fire as he headed into the course’s front nine, playing it in just 33 strokes. A birdie for three points at the 10th and a par for two points at the 11th, his final hole, saw him coast to victory.
“It’s fantastic,” Botham said. “It was just one of those days where you get three birdies in a row, then an eagle and another birdie. I haven’t been playing particularly well. I’ve just come off an operation for a ripped bicep and it’s only my second full round back – and it clicked. I’m delighted and I’ll get some serious brownie points when I get home and tell my wife we’re going to Mauritius in December.”
His 41 points was enough for a six-point win over former England footballer Teddy Sheringham, DJ Locksmith from Rudimental and Cork hurler Anthony Nash, who all had 35 points. Former Wales and British and Irish Lions rugby player Scott Quinnell finished 5th with 34 points.
Botham now qualifies for the Wapp Celebrity Series Grand Final in Mauritius in December, where there’s a £100,000 prize pool up for grabs for the celebrities’ chosen charities. Brian McFadden earned his spot in Mauritius by winning the event at the Jersey Legends.
It was a star-studded field that also included former Ireland rugby captain Keith Wood, 1996 Formula One World Champion Damon Hill, former England cricket captain Sir Andrew Strauss, 1997 World Snooker Champion Ken Doherty, actor James Nesbitt, singers Brian McFadden, Keith Duffy and Daniel O’Donnell, and former footballers Shay Given, Jason McAteer and Ryan Taylor.
