South African Casey Jarvis held his nerve on the final day of the Euram Bank Open at Golf Club Adamstal to secure a memorable maiden Challenge Tour victory after finishing in the bridesmaid position three times this year.
There was no luck for our Irish charges, who, realistically, were too far off the pace heading into the final round to pose any real danger.
The best was Conor Purcell, who finished mid-division, on four under, fourteen off the pace of Jarvis, with Jonathan Yates further down the field at one over and Conor O’Rourke back down on five over.
Jarvis took a five stroke lead into the final round, and despite a late charge from Scotland’s Euan Walker, Jarvis kept his composure to par the final hole and secure a one shot victory with a one under par round of 69 to add to rounds of 65-63-65 earlier in the week.
The in-form 19-year-old South African, who has registered three second place finishes already on the 2023 Road to Mallorca, was delighted to get over the line.
He said: “I haven’t felt this good in a long time walking off a golf course. I didn’t think winning would be this special. It’s an unbelievable feeling.
“I had those second place finishes in the back of my mind pretty much the whole day so I didn’t want it to happen again, and luckily I got it done.
“I’ve learned a lot being in contention throughout this year. I felt like I had experience under that pressure. I still felt a lot of pressure today, but I’m really happy with the way I handled it.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence right now, so I feel like that I’m going to run with that confidence through the next events I play in and see how it goes.”
Jarvis made his first gain of the day on the third hole to extend his lead to six, and despite three dropped shots on his next two holes, he would birdie the sixth and eighth to remain four clear at the turn.
The South African then birdied the 12th before a two shot swing at the 13th, with Jarvis making a bogey and Walker a birdie. Despite Jarvis making a birdie at the par five 15th, Walker holed out from the bunker for eagle to close the gap to one.
The Scot looked to be out of the running when he bogeyed the 16th, but he birdied 17 to get back within one going down the last, however it was Jarvis who prevailed, with both parring the last.
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