A final-round one-over 73 saw Dundalk’s Brendan Lawlor claim third place at the G4D Tour event at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, but world number one Kipp Popert’s great year continued as the The Englishman’s superb three-under 69 saw him leapfrog Tomasso Perrino for victory.
An opening four-over saw Lawlor begin the second and final round four strokes behind the first round leader, with Popert two clear of Lawlor and two behind Perrino. Lawlor, who won the inaugural G4D Open Championship in May, knew he’d probably need to break par if he was to reel in the leaders and despite an early bogey, birdies on six and 10 took him to one-under for the day and within two of the lead.
Unfortunately, back-to-back bogeys on 14 and 15 effectively ended Lawlor’s charge, but it was another impressive performance from the Dundalk man and as it turned out, he’d have needed a round of five-under to match Popert’s 36-hole total.
The Englishman shot a 74 on Monday, but carded five birdies and two bogeys on day two to finish the tournament on one under par.
Popert has now won the past three G4D Tour events following victories at The Belfry and Galgorm over the summer.
Perrino finished alone in second place on four over par, one shot ahead of Lawlor in third.
World Number One Popert turned in 34 after making back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth before dropping his first shot of the day on the sixth.
He then birdied the par-five 12th but gave the shot straight back at the next to sit just one stroke clear of Perrino with five holes remaining.
Two consecutive bogeys for Perrino on the 14th and 15th handed Popert a three-shot cushion at the summit and he stretched his lead further with birdies at the 16th and 17th.
The 25-year-old finished his round with a par on the last to sign for a closing 69 and clinch a comfortable victory.
Meanwhile, Dubliner Conor Stone shot a closing eight-over to end the tournament in ninth place overall.
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