The PGA in Ireland season came to its now traditional close with the Sutton PGA 9-Hole Matchplay in October, and when all was done and dusted, Simon Thornton stood head and shoulders above the rest on the Elavon Order of Merit.
After finishing as runner-up to David Higgins in 2023, Thornton, who left his role as Head Professional at Spa Golf Club at the start of the year to focus on his own tournament playing career and providing lessons under his own ST Golf brand, did much of the heavy lifting in the early part of the season.
Wins at the Premier Pro-Am in Thurles, the Ardglass Pro-Am in his native county, the Xeolas Pharmaceutical Delgany Pro-Am and the two-day Vermilion Energy Pro-Am at Carne Golf Links, along with runner-up finishes at Rathsallagh and Beaverstown, saw Thornton into a comfortable lead at the top of the rankings by mid-year and he was in no mood to relinquish the number one spot.
The highlight of his year undoubtedly came in the Brown & Brown 115th Irish PGA Championship at Monkstown where he went wire-to-wire to capture the pinnacle event in the region for the fourth time, moving him ahead of contemporaries Niall Kearney, David Higgins, and Damien McGrane who each had a hat-trick of wins.
For good measure, a week later he ventured north and cruised to a win at the Fred Daly Pro-Am at Balmoral, widening the gap at the top of the rankings and even though he wouldn’t win again for the remainder of the campaign, he’d add seven top-five finishes and only finish outside the top 10 in four of his 12 remaining events, ultimately finishing almost 7,000 points clear of second-ranked Cormac Sharvin on the Elavon Order of Merit.
“It’s great to be crowned Elavon Order of Merit champion,” Thornton said. “I made the decision at the beginning of the year to focus more on playing and I put a lot of time and effort into it, and I hit the ground running.
“I had quite a few wins, I performed well throughout the season, and it was nice to have the kids on the bag for a few of them as well.
“I knew once that I’d won the Irish PGA Championship and backed it up with another win the following week, I was going to be hard to catch.
“We have a really strong region in Ireland and to have supporters like Elavon involved is massive. I played with the guys a lot over the year and got to know them really well, and they seem to love it as much as we do. It’s a great match.”
Speaking at the award, Declan Lynch, CEO of Elavon praised the efforts of Thornton across the season and also the importance of supporting the PGA community in their efforts to grow the game.
“Elavon is proud to support the PGA in Ireland circuit and celebrate the remarkable achievements of Simon Thornton. The Elavon Order of Merit championship showcases the dedication, skill, and sportsmanship that define Irish golf across the country, and we’re delighted to play a part in growing the game and connecting with the vibrant PGA community. Congratulations again to Simon Thornton and all the professionals and amateurs on an outstanding season.”
Other highlights from the Irish PGA regional schedule in 2025 included the K Club Pro-Am – the largest PGA Pro-Am in Europe – where Elm Park’s Sharvin staged a successful defence of the title he won in 2024, the Irish Assistants Championship which returned to a newly refurbished Ardee Golf Club where Dundalk’s Cian Geraghty finished on top, and the reintroduction of the Irish Club Professional Championship where Glasson Lakehouse’s Colm Moriarty shot a course-record-equalling 64 enroute to victory.
Roganstown’s Neil O’Briain had the final word, securing a memorable victory at the Annesley Williams Sutton 9-Hole Match Play with an incredible final-hole birdie to beat Niall Kearney in the championship match, winning his second title in three years and bringing the curtain down on another memorable season.
“The 2025 season was truly a standout year for The PGA in Ireland, with an increase in the number of events, and staged at some of the country’s leading venues,” said Conor Dillon, PGA in Ireland Manager.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to Simon on an outstanding season, capturing both our National Championship and the Elavon Order of Merit title. A sincere thank you to Elavon for their continued support in making this such a successful year, and to everyone who contributes to making the PGA community such a great place to be.”
