A triple bogey eight at the treacherous 14th cost John-Ross Galbraith his chance of victory but it was still an encouraging week for the Irish in the weather-reduced St Andrews Links Trophy.

The Whitehead man took over from Cormac Sharvin at the head of affairs at the Home of Golf when he shot a morning 73 to lead on four under going into the final round as his fellow Ulsterman followed Friday's 65 with an 80 to slip to one over par.

Just 61 players got to play the last two rounds on the Old Course with only those on level par or better progressing after Saturday's second round on the Jubilee Course was abandoned due to high winds.

Galbraith had said following his share of seventh in the East of Ireland last Monday that he was turning the corner after an up and down spell. A quadruple nine at the 18th in what turned out to be the final hole at Baltray last week eventually cost him second place as the final round was abandoned. 

And he was proved right as he went to the turn in level par 36 as eventual winner Federico Zucchetti of Italy posted the clubhouse target at two under 214 after 72.

Sadly for Galbraith, he came home in 40 with that eight at the 14th and a bogey at the 17th leaving him needing an eagle two at the last to force a playoff with Zucchetti, whose compatriot Filippo Campigli was second on one under 215.

A long wait on the 14th tee did little for Galbraith's chances there and according to reports, he found "all kinds of problems in the face of a bunker on the adjacent fifth hole

While he needed to play the last four in one under to force a playoff, he bogeyed the 17th and only made par at the last when a two was required to force extra holes with Zucchetti

 

“To win at the Old Course is very special, especially after finishing third in this tournament last year and just one shot behind,” said a delighted Zucchetti, ranked 754th in the world to Galbraith's 739th.

“I shot one under on the Jubilee course on Friday and I was six shots from the lead so I knew it would be tough as the Old Course can be very hard.

“So to win also with all the grandstands, scoreboards and tee markers already in place for The Open next month was like an incentive for me, as I won in Turin last week where they play the Italian Open.

“My next event is the Amateur Championship (at Carnoustie and Panmure) and I’m going there with two wins. Maybe I can do the same as Matteo (Manassero, 2009 Amateur champion) as that would be even more special.”

Galbraith had to settle for a share of third with Scotland's Craig Howie (70 76 70) and Connor Syme (66 77 73) while Naas Jack Hume did his Walker Cup chances no harm by claiming a share of sixth on one over after rounds of 70 76 and 71.

Sharvin (65 80 76) had to settle for a share of 21st on five over after following his 65 with a nightmare 80 on Sunday morning as 30 mph winds coupled with little feel on the greens made life tough for the Ardglass man.

Warrenpoint's Colm Campbell (72 76 75) tied 30th and Richard Bridges (71 76 78) and Dermot McElroy (70 76 79) tied 37th as Castle's Alex Gleeson finished on 226 and Faithlegg's Robin Dawson struggled to 233 after a tough final day.

St Andrews Links Trophy 2015

Rd 1 Jubilee Course; Rd 2 abandoned due to weather; Rd 3-4, Old Course

Detailed scores

214 Federico Zucchetti (Italy) 71 71 72

215 Filippo Campigli (Italy) 71 76 68

216 Craig Howie (Peebles Golf Club) 70 76 70, Connor Syme (Drumoig Golf Club) 66 77 73, John-Ross Galbraith (Ireland) 67 73 76

217 Greig Marchbank (Thornhill Golf Club) 69 79 69, Jack Hume (Ireland) 70 76 71, Thomas Perrot (France) 71 74 72, Romain Langasque (France) 72 72 73

218 Michele Cea (Italy) 69 78 71

219 Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten Golf Club) 72 74 73, Antonio Murdaca (Australia) 70 73 76, Peter Launer Baek (Denmark) 70 73 76

220 Lucas Herbert (Australia) 71 77 72, Gianmaria Rean Trinchero (Italy) 70 77 73, Alfie Plant (Sundridge Park Golf Club) 71 74 75, Robbie van West (Netherlands) 72 73 75, Ben Eccles (Australia) 71 73 76, Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club) 66 77 77, Ivan Cantero (Spain) 71 71 78

221 Jimmy Mullen (Royal North Devon Golf Club) 72 78 71, Liam Johnston (Dumfries & County Golf Club) 70 78 73, Mathias Eggenberger (Switzerland) 71 76 74, Jamie Bower (Meltham Golf Club) 72 75 74, Cedric Van Wassenhove (Belgium) 69 78 74, Cormac Sharvin (Ireland) 65 80 76

222 Adriá Arnaus (Spain) 72 77 73, Nick Marsh (Huddersfield Golf Club) 70 78 74, Grant Forrest (Craigielaw Golf Club) 72 75 75

223 Mans Berglund (Sweden) 72 78 73, Colm Campbell (Ireland) 72 76 75, Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park Golf Club) 72 74 77, Markus Maukner (Austria) 70 75 78

224 Richard James (Aberystwyth Golf Club) 70 81 73, Mario Galiano (Spain) 68 77 79, Edgar Catherine (France) 70 74 80

225 Daniel Wasteney (Lindrick Golf Club) 70 78 77, Kiran Day (Australia) 71 77 77, Daniel Young (Craigie Hill Golf Club) 71 77 77, Richard Bridges (Ireland) 71 76 78, Dermot McElroy (Ireland) 70 76 79

226 Richard Mansell (Beau Desert Golf Club) 69 85 72, Alex Gleeson (Ireland) 72 81 73, Sean Towndrow (Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club) 72 80 74, Euan Walker (Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club) 71 81 74, Paul Kinnear (Formby Golf Club) 69 76 81

227 Ben Wall (Hayling Golf Club) 71 79 77, Luke Johnson (Kings Lynn Golf Club) 72 77 78, Ashton Turner (Kenwick Park Golf Club) 72 76 79, Tom Gandy (Rowany Golf Club) 72 75 80

228 Tomasz Anderson (Brocket Hall Golf Club) 72 77 79

229 Linus Vaisanen (Finland) 71 83 75, Ryan Chisnall (New Zealand) 72 76 81

231 Craig Ross (Kirkhill Golf Club) 72 82 77, Zach Galliford (Borth & Ynyslas Golf Club) 72 81 78, Xabier Gorospe (Spain) 72 80 79, Emil Sogaard (Denmark) 72 80 79

233 Robin Dawson (Ireland) 72 81 80

234 Zach Murray (Australia) 72 79 83

242 Maxence De Craecker (Belgium) 72 86 84

Missed the cut

73 DJ Loypur (Australia) 73, Jade Buitendag (South Africa) 73, Jeremy Gandon (France) 73, Ben Amor (Marlborough Golf Club) 73, Vitor Lopes (Portugal) 73, Taylor MacDonald (Australia) 73, Antoine Rozner (France) 73 , James Allan (Chelmsford Golf Club) 73 , Eugene Smith (Ireland) 73 , Joe Dean (Lindrick Golf Club) 73 , Ben Kinsley (St Andrews Golf Club) 73 , Adam Chapman, (Windermere Golf Club) 73, Daniel Brown (Bedale Golf Club) 73, Owen Edwards (Llanwern Golf Club) 73, Luca Cianchetti (Italy) 73, Ryan Ruffels (Australia) 73, Jacopo Vecchi Fossa (Italy) 73, Michael Saunders (Dartford Golf Club) 73 , Gary Hurley (Ireland) 73 , Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie Golf Club) 73, ,  

74 Bryce McCabe (South Africa) 74, Jason Smith (South Africa) 74, Andrew Wilson (Darlington Golf Club) 74, Gavin Moynihan (Ireland) 74, Jamie Savage (Cawder Golf Club) 74, Teodoro Soldati (Italy) 74, Ryan Cornfield (Enville Golf Club) 74, Brett Coletta (Australia) 74, Edoardo Raffaele Lipparelli (Italy) 74, Lawrence Allan (Alva Golf Club) 74, Paolo Ferraris (Italy) 74, Marco Penge (Golf at Goodwood Golf Club) 74, Harrison Endycott (Australia) 74, Joey Savoie (Canada) 74, Daniel Gale (Australia) 74, Alexander Wilson (Ireland) 74 

75 Adam Dunton (McDonald Golf Club) 75, Scott Gregory (Corhampton Golf Club) 75, Calum Fyfe (Cawder Golf Club) 75, Jamie Dick (Sherdons Golf Centre) 75, Hendrikus Stoop (South Africa) 75, Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden Golf Club) 75 , Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie Golf Club) 75, James Hart Du Preez (South Africa) 75, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm Golf Club) 75, Matthew Spacey (South Africa) 75, Richard Jouven (France) 75 

76 Tomas Bessa (Portugal) 76, Gisli Sveinbergsson (Iceland) 76, Ashley Mason (Glen Gorse Golf Club) 76, Nicolas Platret (France) 76, Martin Eriksson (Sweden) 76, Federico Zuckermann (Italy) 76, Ugo Coussaud (France) 76 , Juuso Kahlos (Finland) 76 , Scott Gibson (Southerness Golf Club) 76 , Teaghan Gauche (South Africa) 76 , Evan Griffith (Conwy(Caernarvonshire) Golf Club) 76 , Lorenzo, Scalise (Italy) 76 

77 Marco Iten (Switzerland) 77, Sam Whitaker (Blankney Golf Club) 77, Jaime Lopez Rivarola (Argentina) 77, Martin Rohwer (South Africa) 77, Stuart Grehan (Ireland) 77, Simon Zach (Czech Republic) 77, Paul McBride (Ireland) 77 

78 Joshua Davies (Celtic Manor Resort) 78, Jack Bush (Morlais Castle Golf Club) 78, Calum Hill (Tantallon Golf Club) 78, Tom Watson (South Africa) 78 

79 Seb Crookall-Nixon (Silloth on Solway Golf Club) 79, Leonard Bem (France) 79, Jeroen Krietemeijer (Netherlands) 79, Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) 79, Riccardo Michelini (Italy) 79, Andrew Schonewille (Australia) 79 

80 Ben Wheeler (Purley Downs Golf Club) 80 

81 Robin Roussel (France) 81, Maximilian Boegel (Germany) 81, Hamish Ireland (New Golf Club St Andrews) 81 

82 Jonathan Thomson (Lindrick Golf Club) 82 

83 Oliver Gillberg (Sweden) 83 

84 Cameron Davis (Australia) 84 

DQ Alexandre Daydou (France) 71 75 DQ