Steven Penney from sponsors Specsavers Ballymena, eventual champion Cormac Sharvin, runner up Tiarnan McLarnon Galgorm Castle captain Lyle Foster just before the play-off.Ardglass teenager Cormac Sharvin beat Massereene’s Tiarnan McLarnon at the first extra hole to claim his first major title in the weather-reduced North of Ireland Open Strokeplay at Galgorm Castle.

The 19-year old plus two handicapper, who will begin a golf scholarship at the University of Stirling next month, opened with rounds of 72 and 68 to lead by a stroke overnight from Ardee’s Ciaran Molloy and Bangor’s Patrick Small on four under.

He added a third round 75 to finish on one under par but McLarnon posted a 72 to leave them tied at the top on 215, a shot clear of Galgorm Castle’s Michael Reid (72).

Torrential rain and electrical storms forced the event to be reduce to 54 holes and the title was eventually decided in sudden death with Sharvin emerging as the winner thanks to a par at Galgorm Castle’s opening hole.

Both players hit good drives but Sharvin applied some pressure when he hit a fine second into the heart of the green.

McLarnon pulled his approach into a greenside trap and failed to get up and down as Sharvin two-putted for par and victory. 

A member of Ardglass Golf Club since the age of 15, Sharvin hopes to carve out a career in the game and continue a proud family tradition.

He said: “My uncle Brian Martin caddies on the European Tour for Peter Lawrie. We are definitely a family who love the game.”

He thanked the sponsors Specsavers Ballymena and Taylormade in his winning speech and congratulated Galgorm Castle for the professionalism in hosting the event and the outstanding condition of the course.

Steven Penney (Specsavers Ballymena, sponsor), Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass, overall winner) and Lyle Foster (Galgorm Castle Captain)

North of Ireland Open Strokeplay - Final

1 SHARVIN, CORMAC 72 68 75 215

(Sharvin won with a par at the 1st extra hole) 

2 McLarnon, Tiarnan 74 69 72 215  

3 Reid, Michael 72 72 72 216  

4 Small, Patrick 71 70 77 218  

5 Fairweather, Colin 72 72 76 220  

6 Carter, Shaun 74 76 71 221  

7 Harnett, Liam 71 72 78 221  

8 Molloy, Ciaran 71 70 80 221  

9 KEARNEY, AARON 77 72 73 222  

10 Hood, Jordan Kenneth 74 73 77 224  

11 CARROLL, CHRIS 73 74 77 224  

12 QUIGG, KEALAN 77 76 72 225  

13 PURDY, ALEXANDER 75 77 73 225  

14 GARRETT, S B 76 76 74 226  

15 McCusker, Damien 73 77 76 226  

16 McGlynn, Shane 76 77 74 227  

17 DALLAT, M 76 73 80 229  

18 Hewitson, William 79 79 72 230  

19 Gourley, Jonathan 77 76 77 230  

20 Walsh, Stephen 76 75 79 230  

21 Bradley, G M 77 76 78 231  

22 Robinson, John 76 78 77 231  

23 McCONNELL, SIMON 76 77 80 233  

24 McCusker, Marc 72 84 77 233  

25 Burns, Adrain 74 76 84 234  

26 Penney, Steven 80 79 76 235  

27 Rodgers, Jonathan 76 79 81 236  

28 Stothers, Jamie 80 76 81 237  

29 Houston, Paul 78 80 80 238  

30 Sutherland, Jamie 74 78 86 238  

31 Goodrich, Alan 83 81 80 244  

32 Martin, Philip 80 82 82 244  

33 Houston, Peter James 85 79 82 246  

34 Bellew, Malachy J. 83 84 79 246  

35 Allen, David 86 77 85 248  

36 Hughes, Paul 86 85 80 251  

37 Reilly, Daniel 82 84 85 251  

38 SHELDON, PHILIP 77 80   157  

39 McFAUL, DAVID 80 87   167  

40 Brown, Michael Jay 85 88   173  

41 Dallat, Peter 85 89   174  

42 Hanlon, Phil 92 83   175  

- McAFEE, STEPHEN 88 NR   -  

- McCRUDDEN, RICHARD 83 NR   -  

- TAYLOR, JONATHAN 88 NR   -  

- Best, Ben 73 76 NR - DQ: Rule 6-6(b)

- Dutton, Ross 80 NR   - DQ: Rule 6-6(b)

- Greenberg, Stefan 81 NR   - DQ: Rule 6-6(b)