David Kitt finished in a share of 26th at the Portuguese International Amateur Championship after a bit of a battle of a final round at Montado Golf Resort in Palmela.
The Athenry man was never in with a realistic chance of winning the tournament as he entered the final day 12 shots off the lead, but his worst round of the week – a three-over 75 that featured a double-bogey, four bogeys and three birdies – was not the way he wanted to end.
At three-under for the tournament, Kitt finished outside the top-20 and 16 shots off wire-to-wire winner Frank Kennedy, who comfortably closed out his overnight advantage to claim a four-shot triumph over Germany’s Finn Koelle at Montado.
The only Irishman to make the 54-hole cut in Portugal, Kitt had designs on pushing up the leaderboard and perhaps sneaking a top-10 result, but he never quite got his round off the ground.
An early bogey at the par-four fourth was rectified by a birdie at the par-four sixth, with a birdie at the par-four 10th sandwiched by bogeys at the ninth and 11th.
That preceded an ugly double-bogey at the par-four 13th to end any hopes of a late push up the standings and he finished his round by cancelling out a bogey at the par-four 16th by taking advantage of the final par-five of his week, the 17th, to at least ensure a top-30 result.
It was something of a procession at the top for Kennedy, who rounded off a fine week in Portugal by closing out a tournament he led from start-to-finish with a one-under 71 – his only round not in the 60s, not that he’ll mind – to claim a four-shot win at 19-under.
The Englishman had three birdies in his front-nine to put himself in an unassailable position, which allowed him to cruise on the back-nine, dropping two shots at the 11th and 18th that will not dampen what was a fantastic week.
Koelle at least secured second with a 72 that left him at 15-under, with former North of Ireland champion Arron Edwards-Hill completing the medal places as the Englishman closed his week with a four-under 68 that took him to 13-under and solo third.
- Full scoring HERE
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