Memorable summer continues for Doran
Less than a month after he picked up a €50 "tip" from Padraig Harrington, Connor Doran landed his first major amateur title when he beat Portstewart's Paul Cutler in a play-off for the Grant Thornton Mullingar Scratch Trophy.
The Banbridge man, 27, claimed the title with a birdie three at the first tie hole - Mullingar's first- to add to a miserable week for Cutler, who learned on Sunday that he had missed out on Walker Cup selection.
For Doran, however, things couldn't get much better.
Doran travelled to the European Club last month to watch his Banbridge club mate Richard Kilpatrick in action in the Irish PGA.
But he ended up playing himself when he was plucked from the crowd to play the final few holes of the third round with Harrington after Dundalk's Leslie Walker had been forced to withdraw with a wrist injury.
Bar his opening hole, the Irish international amateur managed to outscore triple major winner Harrington on the way home.
And as a reward for stepping into the breach, Harrington handed him a €50 note and autographed it with his thanks.
Sportsfile photographer Matt Browne generously donated one of his shots of that unusual two-ball to the Ulsterman, who plans to frame it and the money, as a priceless souvenir of the day he played with the maestro.
Had Harrington had his chequebook with him, he might have followed in the footsteps of Jack Charlton and Jack Nicklaus, who often paid their bets with a cheque knowing they would never be cashed.
Grant Thornton sponsored Mullingar Scratch Trophy
After 72 Holes:
281 C Doran (Banbridge) 72 70 69 70 (won on first tie hole), P Cutler (Portstewart) 73 67 73 68
283 N Kearney (The Royal Dublin) 74 68 72 69
284 L Lennox (Moyola Park) 69 68 71 76
285 J Carvill (Warrenpoint) 72 72 68 73, D Morgan (Mullingar) 71 69 71 74, N Grant (Knock) 70 76 71 68
290 P O'Kane (Moyola Park) 74 74 70 72, C McAleavey (Banbridge) 73 69 70 78, S Ward (Co.Louth) 70 78 71 71
291 D Lernihan (Castle) 72 73 70 76, C Martin (Kilkenny) 72 72 75 72
292 C Geraghty (Carton House) 73 74 71 74
294 M Shanahan (West Waterford) 72 76 73 73, G Dillon (The Heath) 70 78 70 76, K McDonagh (Athlone) 69 74 77 74
295 J Monaghan (Island/NUIM) 75 71 72 77
296 J Fox (Portmarnock) 76 71 76 73, C Curley (Newlands) 71 75 73 77
297 S Power (West Waterford) 71 71 78 77
298 B Walton (The Island) 73 78 73 74, L Costello (Hollystown) 73 76 76 73, R Burke (Castle) 72 76 74 76
299 M Sheridan (Old Conna) 76 78 71 74, T McGowan (Strandhill) 74 77 73 75, S Doherty (Malone) 73 78 77 71
301 R McCarthy (The Island) 75 72 78 76
303 P O'Leary (Lucan) 77 76 77 73
304 A O'Callaghan (Douglas) 78 68 76 82, C Glynn (Carton House) 76 76 74 78, A Byrne (Westmanstown) 73 76 79 76
305 L Reilly (Golgorm Castle) 77 75 76 77, R Knightly (The Royal Dublin) 73 73 83 76
306 E Smith (Ardee) 75 78 78 75, G Kelly (Co.Louth) 75 77 78 76
307 R Kenny (Hermitage) 76 77 76 78
308 E Maguire (Seapoint) 76 71 77 84, A Hogan (Newlands) 73 78 78 79, K Stack (Dungarvan) 70 76 80 82
310 M Buggy (Castlecomer) 77 73 81 79
315 D Hickey (Beech Park) 77 75 84 79
RTD C Cunningham (Carton House) 72 78 83 RT, J Lyons (Galway) 75 75 79 RT, E Arthurs (Forrest Little) 72 77 81 RT, D Downie (Sutton) 78 76 80 RT
WD R McNamara (Headfort) 79 76 WD, F Rafferty (Dungannon) 78 77 WD, D Lally (Tuam) 72 82 WD, K Kennedy (Thurles) 72 77 WDNS D Coghan (The Royal Dublin) 77 75 NS