Maynooth University duo Liam Abom and Ryan Griffin came up just short at the R&A Student Series France in Le Golf National after a day of tough scoring in Paris.
Edmonstown golfer Abom had established a two-shot overnight lead but a three-over 74 saw him fall two shots shy of eventual winner Jesper Littorin after the Swede shot a joint-low round of the day with a one under 70 to finish on three-under.
“It’s a very good golf course, extremely tough, very demanding from tee to green, you really have to hit fairways in order to make birdies,” said Littorin, who defeated Halmstad teammates William Leu and Hugo Stark by one stroke to win his first Student Tour Series event.“Playing this golf course really lets you know what you need to work on to become better.”
Ballybofey & Stranorlar and former winner in Portugal, Griffin shot a one-over 72 to finish alongside Abom in a share of fourth place.
Abom, a first year Arts student started well with an early birdie on the third. But that was as good as it got for the 19-year-old as he dropped shots on the sixth, eighth, twelfth and sixteenth to fall out of top spot in what was still a respectable round.
Griffin looked as if he might earn a second Student Series title in as many years after he turned in two-under 34. However, a double bogey on his second hole and a three-over back nine saw his challenge fade down the stretch.
Maynooth’s Evan Shipp was one of three players to shoot a one-under 70 as he claimed sixth place on level-par. A fine effort from the Headfort golfer after opening his week with a 77.
It was an all Maynooth top-10 as Eoin Murphy (8th) Alan Fahy and Aaron Marshall (both 9th) finished well.
Scotland’s Lorna McClymont won the women’s section but was the 7th best in the overall standings as she fired a two-under 70 for a one-over total.
The University of Stirling student eagled the 18th hole to finish in style as she romped to a twelve-shot win and her second Student Series title of the season.
The Irish Women’s Open champion was delighted with her win and feels playing at a golf course such as this will only aid her development.
“Playing this golf course is massive for every player’s golf development,” McClymont said. “It just shows how important it is to commit to every shot. You have to commit once you’ve made up your mind what shot you’re going to hit.“The hardest part of playing this golf course is it can get in your head. You have to be mentally as well as physically tough to play it. It’s a massive mental test. It can have you asking serious questions about your own golf. If you can develop an attitude that says you are going to commit to every shot then that’s something you can take to other golf courses going forward.“Le Golf National is a pretty special place. I’d come back here in a heartbeat.”
Maynooth’s Kate Dwyer was the leading Irishwoman on twenty-over-par. A final round of 76 secured the Irish Intervarsities winner seventh place while Ellen O’Gorman and Annabel Greham were eleventh and twelfth respectively.
Scoring HERE
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