Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy returned a third round 69 to add to his opening rounds of 66 and 67 and claimed a share of 8th place at the Diamond X Open at Cumberwell Park on the EuroPro Tour.
McElroy was best of the Irish finishers with a 202 total with Niall Kearney three shots further back after carding a 71 today for a 205 total and a share of 27th place. Jonathan Caldwell did a little better with a closing round of 70 for a T32 finish while Stuart Grehan finished with a 71 for a 208 total and a share of 52nd place with Brian Casey in T62 after a disappointing 77 today left him on 213.
The big winner, however, was England’s Luke Joy who claimed the title by two shots after going three under on his final round to see off Ryan Campbell (Scotland).
Joy was on top after day one and an opening round of 62 and he backed that up with rounds of 66 in the following two days, carding 19 birdies and two eagles for the week.
On victory, Joy said: “I absolutely loved it to be honest. It’s quite nice being at home. I’ve played Cumberwell loads as a kid. So it’s nice to get a win. I lost in a playoff in my first year as a pro, I think it was. I enjoyed it. It’s good.”
He added: “It’s one of those golf courses where you can go really low at any one point. I didn’t really watch it all that much (the leaderboard). So until 17, I noticed I had a three-shot cushion so that was quite a nice walk up to 18.”
Ryan Campbell (Falkirk Golf Club) finished up second on fifteen under after back to back birdies on the last two holes for rounds of 66, 65 and 67.
Joy added: “We had a really chilled out group (Campbell and Locke). Ryan had a mishap on ten but came back really strong on the back nine and he sort of kept me pushing. When you’ve got that it’s great, you keep your foot on the gas.”
Conor O Neil (Pollok / Mearns Castle) was seven under on his final round (64) to finish third on fourteen under.
The best round of the day came from Hugo Dobson (Woodbridge Golf Club) who recovered from one over on his first round to tie for fourth on thirteen under after shooting a final round 63. Jack Colegate (Rochester & Cobham Park GC) had a good week throughout with rounds of 66, 67, and 67 to finish tied fourth with Dobson and Laurie Canter of Cumberwell Park.
Another notable round came from Jamie Dick (Forest Hills Golf Club) going six deep in his final round to come out seventh.
Seve Benson (Wentworth Club), Jamie Rutherford (Knebworth Golf Club) and Freddie Price (Royal Blackheath Golf Club), Lawrence Allan (Alva Golf Club), Scott Fallon (North Middlesex Golf Club), Dermot McElroy (Ballymena Golf Club) and Will Enefer (Retail Furniture Ltd) all tied for eighth on eleven under.
NEXT UP
The Golfcatcher Championship at Dudsbury Golf Club, Ferndown, Bournemouth.
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