By Brian Keogh

Costantino Rocca grabbed his first senior victory with a two-shot win in the AIB Irish Seniors Open at Palmerstown House

Without a win anywhere since he lifted the West of Ireland Classic at Galway Bay in 1999, the Italian closed with a one under par 71 to triumph in Ireland again on another Christy O'Connor Jnr design.

Playing in just his third seniors event since turning 50 last December, the Bergamo man finished two clear of England's Kevin Spurgeon and Spain's Juan Quiros on five under par with Warrenpoint's Peter O'Hagan the best of the Irish in a share of 16th.

Rocca beamed: “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.”

Rocca beat Padraig Harrington to the title in 1999 and while he moved one clear of the field with a chip and putt birdie at the 14th, he had some help from overnight leader Stewart Ginn.

The Aussie went to the turn in two over par but his chance of victory evaporated when he three-putted the 17th from just six feet for a double bogey six to fall three behind.

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 knocked his approach up just short of the green and then two-putted from nearly 50 yards for his par four.

Faced with a mammoth putt from the fairway to a pin situation on the top tier of a fiendishly contoured green, Rocca said he was inspired by his putt from the Valley of Sin at St Andrews that forced a play-off for the 1995 Open Championship at St Andrews.

After knocking the ball just four feet past to set up his par, 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.”

Overnight leader Ginn - beaten in a play-off last year - slumped to a closing 76 to finish three adrift in a tie for fourth place with American left-hander Doug Johnson on two under par.

Ginn 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 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.

Former international Adrian Morrow claimed the JB Carr Memorial Trophy awarded to the leading amateur when he closed with a 74 to share 42nd place on 10 over par.

AIB Irish Seniors Open, PGA National Ireland (Par 72)

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)