Luke Furlong produced an incredible performance on the final day of the Flogas Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Championship, coming from behind to secure a playoff victory over John Moran (Portmarnock) at Malone Golf Club.
Furlong began the day four shots off the lead, rounds of 72 and 70 leaving the Wexford golfer at two-over-par as he teed it up on Sunday afternoon. The 16-year-old remained steady across his opening nine holes, a level-par 35 keeping him firmly in contention, but with ground to make up on the leaders.
John Moran (Portmarnock) and Barry McMenamin (Ballybofey and Stranorlar) were tied at the top on one-under-par thru their opening nine holes, but the momentum shifted early on the back nine. A bogey for McMenamin at the 10th, coupled with a birdie for Moran at the 11th, saw the Portmarnock golfer take control, opening up a two-shot advantage as he approached the closing stretch.
With five holes to play, Furlong trailed Moran by four shots, but the turning point came at the 14th, where the Wexford golfer chipped in for his first birdie of the day to spark his charge. Another birdie would follow at the 16th and when Moran dropped a shot at the 17th, Furlong’s birdie on the same hole would draw him level at one-under-par.
Both players would par the 18th to force a playoff, returning to the same hole once again. Furlong found the centre of the fairway off the tee, while Moran was left to play from the rough on the left.
Furlong’s approach set up his birdie chance, while Moran faced a delicate chip from off the back of the green, which he played excellently to put the pressure back on his opponent.
The 16-year-old rose to the occasion, producing the putt of the day when it mattered. As his ball dropped, Furlong clenched his fist in celebration, cheered on by family and friends who had made the long journey north.
“Lost for words really. I didn’t think coming into that back nine that I would have had too much of a chance, but I just tried to stick in it and keep going,” said Furlong.
“Luckily, I chipped in on 14 to set me off a bit and then two birdies on the way in, and obviously the birdie in the playoff to beat John, who is an incredible player. It’s a very nice feeling.”
It was Furlong’s composure throughout the final round that proved decisive, with the Wexford golfer carding a bogey-free 67 before making his fourth and final birdie in the playoff to claim his second national title, following his All-Ireland Schools Senior Boys triumph in 2025.
“I decided if I could get back to under par and stay there, keep being a problem, keep causing trouble, I would be in with a shout. The last two days I played well. I scrambled at times and putting kept me in it so I knew if I hit more greens, more fairways that if I could putt the same as I have the last few days, I’d have a good chance.”
“It’s a good feeling. Bogey-free today. I hit fairways and greens quite well, gave myself chances, didn’t put myself in trouble. That was the goal heading into today, just keep it steady, keep being there, keep being a problem and see what happened at the end.”
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