Amateur round-up: Brabazon Trophy, Dunne's Palmer Cup, Craig's Connacht Ladies
Ben Stow (ENG), pictured during last year's Open Championship at Muirfield, claimed the Brabazon Trophy with a birdie-birdie finish. Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie
Brabazon Trophy — There was no luck for the Irish at Seaton Carew as Rushmore's Ben Stow closed with a seven under par 66 to claim the Brabazon Trophy.
Stow had to take a penalty drop from bushes at the 16th and bogeyed. But he recovered like a champion, firing birdies at the 17th and 18th to claim the coveted title by a stroke from Hawkstone Park's Ashley Chesters on 14 under par.
Ben Stow takes a drop on 16 after hitting into the bushes #Brabazon pic.twitter.com/4WOh5FzM4j
— Hartlepool Mail (@HPoolMail) June 28, 2014Ardglass' Cormac Sharvin was tied for the lead with a round to play but ended up in eighth place after a closing 73, undone by a quadruple bogey nine at the 13th.
West Waterford's Gary Hurley surged out of the pack, covering the back nine in a scorching, six under 32 for a seven under 66 that left him the best of the Irish in a share of fifth with Gavin Moynihan (71), six shots behind the winner on eight under.
Faithlegg's Robin Dawson was tied 12th on four under after a 69 with Ballymena's Dermot McElroy (71) tied 22nd on one-under. Castle's Daniel Holland was 42nd on five over (74) with Naas' Jack Hume (78) 46th, Paul McBride (80) 51st and a tired Stuart Grehan fading to 57th after a pair of closing 81s.
Paul Dunne and European non-playing captain, Andrew Coltart.
Palmer Cup — Greystones' Paul Dunne (UAB) claimed a huge scalp when he beat world amateur No 3 Robby Shelton one up with a par at the last as Europe crushed the United States of America in the final singles session to win the Palmer Cup 18.5 - 10.5 at Walton Heath.
With the sides tied at 10-10 entering the final day, the Europeans took 8.5 points from a possible 10 with the lone American victory coming from Ollie Schniederjans, who defeated Louis Tomlinson, 5 and 3, while Rico Hoey halved the anchor match with Pep Angles after the result had already been decided.
Scoring
It was Europe's first win in the Ryder Cup-style event between collegiate players since 2012, and the 18.5-11.5 final margin of victory is the largest for the Europeans since they won 19.5-4.5 at Prestwick in 2006.
The US still maintains a slim 9-8-1 overall lead in the series, though the Europeans have now won five of the last six times the event has been played on European soil.
Dunne lost his foursomes and fourballs on Thursday but halved his singles with Anthony Maccaglia on Friday before clinching a huge win over Shelton on the final day.
Paul Dunne and caddie at Walton Heath.
Two down after two, he hit back to win the fourth (birdie), fifth (par) and sixth (birdie) to go one up, then birdied the eighth and ninth to take a three up lead at the turn.
Shelton, who was a team mate of Gavin Moynihan's for NCAA champions Alabama this year, won the 10th and 11th to get back to one down but lost the par-five 13th and 14th to birdie fours by Dunne to go three down again.
The American then showed his class, rattling off three birdies in a row at the 15th, 16th and 17th to square the match heading to the 18th, where he made bogey to Dunne's par four.
Palmer Cup, Walton Heath
Europe 18.5 - USA 11.5
Singles
James Ross, Europe bt Brandon Hagy, USA, 3 and 2
Grant Forrest, Europe bt Trey Mullinax, USA, 3 and 2
Paul Dunne, Europe bt Robby Shelton, USA, 1 up
Louis Tomlinson, Europe lost to Ollie Schniederjans, USA , 5 and 3
Jack McDonald, Europe bt Bryson Dechambeau, USA, 2 and 1
Thomas Detry, Europe bt Jack Maguire, USA, 4 and 3
Jon Rahm, Europe bt Wyndham Clark, USA, 4 and 2
Erik Oja, Europe bt Anthony Maccaglia, USA, 3 and 2
Ricardo Gouveia, Europe bt Stewart Jolly, USA, 3 and 2
Pep Angles, Europe halved with Rico Hoey, USA
Connacht Ladies — Royal Belfast's Victoria Craig captured the Connacht Ladies Senior Open at Roscommon with a 3 and 2 win over Donaghadee's Jessica Ross. In the Junior Open final, Dromoland Castle's Suzanne McConway beat Elaine Smyth 3 and 2.
SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) bt Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) 3/2
Semifinals
Jessica Ross bt Una Marsden 6/5
Victoria Craig bt Ellie Metcalfe 6/4
JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Semifinals
Suzanne McConway bt Georgia Carr 1 up
Elaine Smyth bt Margaret A Murphy 3/2
