Max Kennedy came agonisingly close to notching his maiden major championship and securing a place in next month’s 152nd Open in Royal Troon but he had both snatched away from him by Tommy Morrison at the European Amateur Championship in Denmark.
Kennedy was beaten on aggregate in at three-hole playoff where he was one-under for the three holes but Morrison birdied the second and third holes to claim the win with Preston Summerhays coming in third.
The Royal Dublin star couldn’t have asked for anything more in a brilliant final round performance where he carded a bogey-free 67 to share the 72-hole lead on nine-under-par.
Kennedy roared out of the blocks with back to back birdies to take the lead before adding further gains on the seventh and tenth holes.
He birdied the par-4 16th to take another share of the lead alongside Morrison with both players having to wait to see what Summerhays could do who was two behind with three to play.
Summerhays to his credit, birdied 16 and 18 for join the pair in a playoff.
It’s Morrison who will head to Royal Troon next month while Kennedy who now has runner-up finishes in two of his last three starts, will face Open Final Qualifying on Tuesday.
Course record holder Liam Nolan teed off just two shots off the lead but his challenge faded on the back nine as he finished with a level-par 72 for a four-under total and share of eleventh place.
Roganstown’s Sean Keeling finished strong with a final round of 71 for a two-over total while Hugh Foley was eleven-over.
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