After clinching his second win on the Clutch Pro Tour yesterday, Paul McBride is targeting a hat trick of victories which would seal an automatic HotelPlanner Tour card for next season.
McBride extended his lead at the top of the Order of Merit following a three-shot win at the Caddy Comps Gloria Pro-Am in Turkey with the top-3 players at the end of the season securing HotelPlanner Tour cards.
McBride produced a clinical final round display with a 66 for a seventeen-under total to hold off the challenge of compatriot Alex Maguire and Giles Evans of England.
“It was a good win I was happy because it was tough,” said the Island golfer who claimed the £8,000 prize and is looking forward to the Open Championship Regional Qualifier at his home club and a potential Irish Challenge start at Killeen Castle in August.
McBride was two clear overnight and despite playing the front nine in four-under he saw his lead trimmed to the minimum by a rampant Maguire and he was pleased with how he kept the foot down on the back nine.
“That’s probably the hardest way to win when someone is playing really well against you in the final group and I was happy to do it.
“Irish players have four wins from six out here on the Clutch so that’s a decent number for the amount of players that play week in week out. It was good playing with Alex he played so well the front nine, I was four-under and had lost a shot of my lead I started the day with. It was a tough one to win it was a three horse race.”
Now into his 30s, the former Walker Cup player is eager to get off the Clutch Pro Tour as soon as possible and progress his career insisting he doesn’t want to be slugging it out on the mini tours for much longer.
“I’m happy, I’m playing very well, all aspects of my game are good so I am looking forward to the next few weeks and hopefully I can nick another win at some point. I’d like to get one more win and get that automatic spot.”
McBride leads Maguire in second and John Murphy in fourth and he feels it’s only a matter of time for them despite some challenging days in the pro ranks for the youngsters.
“John and Alex are very good players, John has played Challenge Tour for years and Alex is very good so it’s only a matter of time for them. I’m a bit older than them and more experienced and I understand when you are at this level you here to get off it so you don’t want to be here too long.”
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