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Burnfoot golfer wins £10,000 prize
13.05.08
by Chris McNulty, Inishowen Independent
BRIAN McElhinney sealed a nerve-testing one-shot win
at the Sureshot Classic PGA EuroPro Tour at The
Shire, London on Friday afternoon, closing play with
a four-under-par 68 to pick up the €12,700 (£10,000)
top prize.
The Burnfoot man finished with a par on the final
hole after stroking a 30-foot putt to within a foot
of the pin. |
McElhinney started
three under after two rounds, but he made up quick
ground with three birdies on the front nine. Despite
a bogey on the tenth, he got back on track on 11 and
eagles on 13 and 15 looked to have victory sealed at
eight-under. Having bogeyed the 17th, though, it was
all down to the final hole.
“I played well all week,” said McElhinney – who won
with scores of 72, 69 and 68 (209). “It’s a nice
feeling to finish with a good round like that. I was
never sure of winning it as there are some tough
holes down the back. |
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“To be honest the only
bad shot I played was when I put it in the water at
17, but my up and down for bogey was good, as was
the big putt on the last.”
McElhinney held off a strong challenge from fellow
Irish man Andy Murray, who shot nine birdies -
including five-in-a-row from the seventh - on his
way to a course-record 64.
“That was a great round. A lot of Irish guys play on
this Tour and they’re all getting on very well,”
McElhinney said.
Friday’s win by Burnfoot man was the sixth by an
Irish professional since March and the fifth in four
weeks. The former British and European Amateur
Champion added: “With the boys winning
three-in-a-row on the European Tour and Michael Hoey
doing the business on the Challenge Tour in Morocco,
it’s definitely great to be Irish in golf right
now.”
A winner at Roganstown near Dublin last year,
Friday’s win was McElhinney’s second on the tour and
it propelled him to the top of the money list on the
satellite circuit.
The Tour moves on to Collingtree Park in Northampton
this week for the third event this year. |
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