Colm Moriarty had to settle for second place on the Europro Tour this week. Picture courtesy PGA Europrotour,comColm Moriarty’s bid to make a winning return to tour golf ended in disappointment when he bogeyed his last two holes and had to settle for joint second in the PGA Europro Tour’s Sweetspot Classic at Longhirst Hall in Northumberland.

Leading by a stroke overnight and one clear with four to play, the touring professional for Glasson Hotel and Golf Club bogeyed the 17th to go to the par-five last needing a birdie to win and a par to force a playoff with eventual champion George Woolgar, who shot a final-round 68 to post a seven under total.

Instead, he finished with a disappointing bogey six for a two over 72 that left him tied with Paul Maddy (64) and Zack Saltman (70) on six under, earning £3,066 to move up to 22nd in the Order of Merit after just three starts.

Scores

Mick McGeady (72) claimed a share of 12th place with Waterville’s Mark Murphy (73) back in 18th.

Moriarty opted against competing at Q-School last year and took nine months off, explaining that he felt he was becoming “institutionalised” by the incessant grind of the Challenge Tour.

He only returned to action in June, when he finished 37th in the Scottish Hydro Challenge and has already shown signs that he is refreshed and ready to compete to win his European Tour card after almost a decade of ups and downs.

It was Woolgar’s second win on the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour and his first of the season having only returning to action in May following injury.

“It was a long nine months after winning at Frilford last summer,” he said. “It was a bit of a rollercoaster but that is in the past now and I have come back, been consistent and now I want to kick on from here and let’s see what happens.

“I didn’t see a leaderboard after the 15th so I didn’t know my position, but I knew I needed to press on and try and get some birdies on the last couple of holes. That didn’t quite happen but the pars were a good score in the end and I won and got the job done.”

Woolgar was consistent all week, carding rounds of 67, 68 and 68 to win £10,000, a brand new Motocaddy trolley and top spot in the Order of Merit.

A two-hour highlights package of the Sweetspot Classic will air on Sky Sports HD on Tuesday, August 27, repeated three times on Wednesday, August 28.