McDermott clinches dramatic last-hole victory - 31/03/2007

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MICHAEL McDermott has become the third Irish player to win a PGA EuroPro Tour event this season.

McDermott started and ended the last day in front as he clinched a one-shot victory in the seventh tournament of the campaign, held at the Stoke-by-Nayland Golf Club in Essex.

There was a dramatic finish as him and playing partner Warren Bladon (Marriott Forest of Arden) were tied on five-under going into the last hole.

If they had each scored bogeys at the 191-yard par-three 18th then there would have been a four-way play-off.

Both players over-hit their tee shots but Bladon got his attempted chip wrong as his ball ended up 30 feet from the pin, while McDermott (pictured above with the trophy) was left with a four-foot putt to win the title.

He was successful to clinch the £10,000 top prize and he follows in the footsteps of countrymen Colm Moriarty (Athlone) and Brian McElhinney (Co. Donegal) by winning a tournament this season.

"When I put it in it was a weight off my shoulders," said McDermott, a member of Irish club, Stackstown, the same one as Ryder Cup star Padraig Harrington.

"I got off to a terrible start on day one as I was four-over after five holes but I just continued playing my game.

"My season has gone pretty well and I spent most of the winter playing in America. This is my first win as a professional and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.

"This breaks the barrier of winning my first tournament so winning next time might not be so difficult. The greens here were just fantastic, I really wish we could play on that every week."

This victory lifts McDermott up to fifth in the Order of Merit money list, while Moriarty remains first, despite failing to make the cut this week.

Matthew Cort, Francis McGuirk (Kent) and Bladon all won more than £3,000 by coming joint second, with Ian Ridgway (High Legh Park) fifth and Gary Cullen (Ireland) and Jack Doherty (Scotland) ended in level sixth.

Date posted: June 28, 2007