Jonathan Yates shot the lowest round of the field on the final day of the Gosser Open in Graz, Austria but unfortunately he would come up two shots shy of the win on the Alps Tour.
The Naas man shot a fantastic bogey-free seven-under 65 in his third round at Golf Club Erzherzog Johann to set the early clubhouse target at 15-under-par, however that would only be good for a share of fifth place in Austria.
It would be bettered by both American Clark Dennis and then Italy’s Andrea Saracino, who both finished 16-under, before 53-year-old home favourite Markus Brier took home the win at 17-under to set up a play-off for the title.
The Legends Tour veteran had been neck and neck with fellow Austrian Lukas Lipold, with both reaching the 18th hole tied at the top at 17-under, but a bogey at the last from Lipold handed the title to Brier, who parred for the victory.
And Brier was understandably very happy after his round “This is probably the most surprising victory I have celebrated in my professional career. The key to success today was that I got into a good rhythm very quickly and made a lot of birdies on the first nine holes.”
It was a still a fantastic week for Yates, who played some stunning golf, particularly in his final round, and a top-five finish is an excellent return and is his best result since last year’s Alps Tour Grand Final.
He did it in style, too, picking up two birdies in his first three holes and then adding two more before the turn, and three more in four holes saw him back in the clubhouse with a 65 to set the mark.
It wasn’t enough to triumph, though, as Brier got the better of Lipold, Dennis and Saracino, his final round six-under 66 enough to claim the win in the most dramatic of circumstances as he won effectively a one-hole shoot-out with Lipold.
David Carey secured a 14th-placed finish of his own as he finished with a 68 to end the week 11-under-par, with Paul McBride adding the same score to end the week 18th at 10-under.
Further down the leaderboard Gary Hurley closed with a 71 and walked away with a 41st-placed finish at six-under-par.
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