By Brian Keogh

Costantino Rocca snatched the AIB Irish Seniors Open by two shots and beamed: I love Christy Jnr.

The Italian Ryder Cup star, 50, closed with a one under par 71 to finish on five under par at the O’Connor Jnr designed PGA National Ireland track.

It was Rocca's first seniors title in just his third start since turning 50.

But it also ended an eight-year victory drought that dates back to the 1999 West of Ireland Classic at Galway Bay - another O’Connor creation - when he pipped Padraig Harrington to the title.

And Rocca was simply delighted to pocket a cheque for €67,500 as he two-putted from nearly 50 yards at the 18th to bring back memories of his dramatic play-off forcing par from the Valley of Sin in the 1995 Open at St Andrews.

Rocca grinned: “I think I like Christy O’Connor courses. I won in Galway and now here. Maybe we will be back at one of Christy's courses again next year

“He is a very good friend and I like to make him happy. I’m sure I made him very happy.

“My last win was in ‘99, so it’s a long time ago. This tournament, especially in Ireland for me is special. I love the people here, they follow me and it is very nice.”

Two clear of clubhouse leaders Juan Quiros and Kevin Spurgeon playing the 18th, Rocca had to work hard for his par four after pushing his three wood tee shot into a bush.

But he punched his approach to within yards of the putting surface and then used the putter to negotiate the remaining 50 yards up a tier, running just four feet past the hole

His par putt tumbled in the left side of the hole to give him a memorable victory on a miserable day of steady rain that only relented near the finish.

Explaining his remarkable lag putt at the last, Rocca said: “I remembered the putt I made at St Andrews and left myself four feet to make four.

“It was just like that one from the Valley of Sin. I am very happy. My short game is very good and even if I miss some putts I hole the odd one so this is very important for me.”

The day was only half as miserable as overnight leader Stewart Ginn, who slumped to a closing 76 to finish three adrift in a tie for fourth with American left-hander Doug Johnson.

Just one behind Rocca with two to play, Ginn’s hopes ended at the 17th when he missed the green left and then three-putted from just six feet for a costly double bogey.

He groaned: “It’s not hard luck, just bad golf, as simple as that. Wrong clubs, wrong time. Bad golf. Paid the penalty. I’m very disappointed but that’s the game.”

Defending chamipon Sam Torrance shared sixth place on level par after a 71 as Ulsterman Peter O’Hagan led the Irish challenge on three over after a 76 to earn €6,777.

Cork’s Denis O’Sullivan was the next best on four over after a 73 with Eamonn Darcy two shots further back after a 74.

Final scores
211 Costantino Rocca (Ita) 69 71 71 (€67,500)
213 Juan Quiros (Esp) 73 68 72, Kevin Spurgeon (Eng) 71 70 72 (€38,250 each)
214 Doug Johnson (USA) 69 71 74, Stewart Ginn (Aus) 67 71 76 (€22,545 each)
216 Sam Torrance (Sco) 71 74 71, Tony Allen (Eng) 73 72 71, David Merriman (Aus) 72 70 74, John Bland (RSA) 71 73 72, David Good (Aus) 73 71 72
217 Glenn Ralph (Eng) 73 74 70, Guillermo Encina (Chi) 72 73 72, Horacio Carbonetti (Arg) 71 73 73, Bob Cameron (Eng) 74 72 71
218 Ross Drummond (Sco) 74 74 70
219 Carl Mason (Eng) 73 73 73, José Rivero (Esp) 75 72 72, Delroy Cambridge (Jam) 77 70 72, Alan Tapie (USA) 69 75 75, Peter O’Hagan (Ire) 72 71 76
220 Gordon J Brand (Eng) 70 79 71, Denis O’Sullivan (Ire) 74 73 73, Terry Gale (Aus) 73 73 74
221 Mike Clayton (Aus) 72 77 72, Tony Johnstone (Zim) 73 74 74, Giuseppe Cali (Ita) 75 72 74, Bobby Lincoln (RSA) 73 73 75
222 Bill Longmuir (Sco) 72 77 73, Tommy Horton (Eng) 75 74 73, Eamonn Darcy (Ire) 71 77 74, Gery Watine (Fra) 74 74 74, Angel Fernandez (Chi) 74 71 77
223 Peter Teravainen (USA) 75 76 72, Jerry Bruner (USA) 71 79 73, Adan Sowa (Arg) 72 78 73
224 Jeff Hawkes (RSA) 74 81 69, Jimmy Heggarty (NIr) 72 78 74, Nick Job (Eng) 73 74 77, Luis Carbonetti (Arg) 73 74 77, Gavan Levenson (RSA) 68 75 81
225 Mike Miller (Sco) 73 77 75
226 Adrian Morrow (am) 74 78 74, Denis Durnian (Eng) 77 74 75, John Chillas (Sco) 71 77 78, Simon Owen (Nzl) 75 73 78
227 Martin Gray (Sco) 74 72 81, Jim Rhodes (Eng) 75 78 74, Pete Oakley (USA) 71 79 77
228 Ian Mosey (Eng) 73 80 75, Bruce Heuchan (Can) 73 80 75, Tony Charnley (Eng) 76 77 75, Bertus Smit (RSA) 76 75 77
229 Noel Ratcliffe (Aus) 75 79 75, Mike Ferguson (Aus) 79 74 76, Ray Carrasco (USA) 73 78 78
230 Tim Rastall (Eng) 75 80 75, Manuel Piñero (Esp) 74 78 78, David Creamer (Eng) 71 80 79, Bill Malley (USA) 72 79 79
231 Bob Larratt (Eng) 76 77 78, Paul Leonard (NIr) 72 80 79
232 Jim Lapsley (Nzl) 78 77 77, Liam Higgins (Ire) 74 77 81, Emilio Rodriguez (Esp) 75 76 81
233 John Mashego (RSA) 76 79 78
234 Bob Shearer (Aus) 80 78 76,
235 Martin Poxon (Eng) 79 79 77, Victor Garcia (Esp) 79 74 82
236 David J Russell (Eng) 74 81 81, Steve Martin (Sco) 75 78 83, Philippe Dugeny (Fra) 73 78 85
237 Antonio Garrido (Esp) 73 84 80
239 Maurice Bembridge (Eng) 77 76 86
240 Liam MacNamara (am) (Ire) 77 79 84
245 Dermot W Morris (am) (Ire) 89 79 77
DQ John Benda (USA)