If a preceding spell of pleasant weather had hinted at the arrival of spring at County Armagh Golf Club, those who competed in the St Patrick's Day Open will testify to that not necessarily being the case just yet.
However, on a day when howling winds and persistent rain did their best to dampen spirits at celebratory parades across the country, Ian O'Hea's procession to victory in this stableford competition simply wouldn't be blown off course.
In a peerless round of 46 points, O'Hea hunted down pars with all the relentless zeal that one imagines St Patrick himself might have pursued a 5th century snake to the Irish coastline.
Half a dozen such pars and a bonus birdie two at the 3rd helped the 15-handicapper reach the turn in 35 strokes for a remarkable 24 points. A consolidatory 22-point back nine, including six of Ian's beloved pars, would follow, providing the Derry native with a comfortable Open win and added cause for 17 March revelry.
Neill Dowzell can justifiably feel unfortunate that his 43-point return was good enough only for the runner-up spot. Nevertheless, this fine showing should boost the 14-handicapper's confidence that a profitable season lies ahead.
Third prize went to last year's Smith Cup champion, Paul Corvan, who was a further four points back. Corvan's scorecard was a veritable mixed bag, with the progress of birdies at the 6th, 7th and 11th checked by the setbacks of three no-scores elsewhere.