By Brian Keogh

Flying Scot Lloyd Saltman grabbed his fourth strokeplay win on the trot with a two-shot victory in the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

The 21-year-old from Edinburgh took the tournament by the throat with an incredible course record 66 in the morning to open up a two-stroke lead over Banbridge's Richard Kilpatrick.

He then followed up with a final round 76 in gale force conditions to set the target of three over par.

Kilpatrick eagled the driveable 16th from 20 feet to draw level with the Scot and set up a thrilling finish.

But he three putted the 17th and then drove into the drain at the 18th to drop two shots and finish two behind after a 76.

Just a week after winning the Lytham Trophy, Saltman said: "I can't have a better start to the year. It's nice to win different events, especially after winning the St Andrews Links last year.

"The Irish Open has got a great field on a great track and it's such a well organised tournament. I'm delighted."

Saltman's 66 was easily the best round of golf yet seen on a new-look Royal Dublin that has just undergone a major renovation by architect Martin Hawtree and stretched to a muscular 7,260 yards

He started the day four strokes adrift of the leaders but catapulted himself into a two-shot lead with a six under par 66 that featured an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys in a stiff northwest wind.

But he had to work hard not to let it all slip away in the afternoon as he slouched to the turn in six over par 41 but came home in two under par 35 with the highlights an eagle at the 14th and a birdie at the 17th.

Saltman said: “I can't have a better start to the year. It's nice to win different events, especially after the St Andrews Links last year. The Irish Amateur Open has got a great field on a great track and it's such a well organised tournament.

“The 66 was one of my best ever rounds. Two dropped shots doesn't make it the perfect round but still, I played sensibly and it set me up to win the tournament.

“This afternoon the wind was definitely up and I hit a drive and a three-iron short of the first when this morning it was a drive and an eight-iron.

“It was definitely harder and I didn't start well. I holed a couple of bogey saves and that was good because I knew the front nine was going to be tough and I might pick up a shot or two on the back.”

Scot Keir McNicoll claimed third place on eight over par after a closing 71 but tournament favourite Rory McIlroy had to settle for a share of fourth place with Portugal's Pedro Figueiredo after rounds of 75 and 76.

The Irish Amateur Open Championship, The Royal Dublin Golf Club (Par 72)

291 L Saltman (Scotland) 72 77 66 76
293 R Kilpatrick (Banbridge) 74 71 72 76
296 K McNicoll (Scotland) 72 78 75 71
298 P Figueiredo (Portugal) 74 75 69 80, R McIlroy (Holywood) 73 74 75 76
299 N Kearney (Royal Dublin) 77 75 70 77, K Le Sager (France) 75 75 71 78, P Murray
(Limerick) 75 72 77 75, C Doran (Banbridge) 74 77 69 79, R McCarthy (The Island) 74 72
76 77
300 M Veijalainen (Finland) 76 74 73 77
301 S Lowry (UCD/Esker Hills) 79 72 73 77, M Thistleton (England) 79 71 73 78, Z Gould
(Wales) 76 73 73 79, G Campbell (Scotland) 74 76 76 75, R Ramsay (Scotland) 73 72 79 77
302 E Richardson (England) 76 73 77 76
303 J Caldwell (Clandeboye) 74 74 73 82, J Morris (Rosslare) 73 79 75 76, J Granberg
(Finland) 72 75 77 79, R Enoch (Wales) 72 73 77 81
304 D Lernihan (Castle/UCD) 78 72 78 76, X Poncelet (France) 76 76 73 79, C Macaulay
(Scotland) 76 75 75 78
305 D Morgan (Mullingar) 79 72 73 81, N Grant (Knock) 75 73 78 79, P O'Hara (Scotland)
74 75 76 80
306 S McEwan (Scotland) 79 73 77 77, N Edwards (Wales) 74 77 72 83
307 J McGinn (Laytown & Bettystown) 77 75 77 78, A Hogan (Newlands/UCD) 77 74 76 80, R
Bechu (France) 74 75 79 79
309 R Thuillier (France) 75 75 78 81, B Fotheringham (Scotland) 75 75 71 88, L Lennox
(Moyola Park) 74 78 76 81
310 A Runcie (Wales) 78 72 78 82, D Leathem (Lisburn) 77 73 77 83, S Henry (Scotland)
76 73 83 78
311 P Cutler (Portstewart) 75 74 80 82
314 R Kellett (Scotland) 80 69 77 88, M Armitage (England) 78 72 82 82, M Novy (Czech
Republic) 71 78 78 87
315 C Geraghty (England) 74 78 79 84, B Walton (The Island/UCD) 74 76 79 86
316 R Zwahlen (France) 73 77 80 86
318 R McKnight (Scotland) 75 76 82 85