Top 10s for Shaw and Selfridge as Arnold claims maiden Challenge Tour title
Gareth Shaw was the leading Irishman but Chris Selfridge may look back on the Cordon Golf Open as the maiden professional win that got away.
Shaw closed with a 67 to finished tied fourth and pick up, ironically for a player who has banked a six figure cheque on the main tour, his biggest ever Challenge Tour pay-day — €8,400.
It was good enough to put the Lurgan man 60th in the Road to Oman Rankings, €5,000 outside the Top 45 who make the Grand Final and €36,000 short of the Top 15 who won promotion to the European Tour.
As for Selfridge, he bogeyed the fourth and 10th, rallied with birdies at the 11th and 14th but then bogeyed his last two holes for a 72 that left him four shots behind winner Scott Arnold of Australia, his room mate for the week.
Selfridge started the day a shot behind leader Daan Huizing (71) and tied for second with Arnold, who produced an impressive back nine performance to earn a two-shot victory.
The former World Amateur Number One entered the day one shot off Huizing’s lead but an impressive three under back nine earned him a two under par 68 and a first title on European soil.
The 28 year old was three shots back when he reached the turn but his playing partner from the Netherlands dropped three shots in the space of four holes and Arnold capitalised in ruthless fashion with back to back birdies at the 15th and 16th.
He finished two clear of Huizing and Englishman James Robinson, who signed for a four under 66 to equal the best round of the day and finish on seven under par for the tournament, earning his best Challenge Tour finish in the process.
The day was all about Arnold, however, who made the cut at this year’s Open Championship, and he was delighted to have finally lifted a trophy in his second full season on the Challenge Tour, having played The European Tour in 2013 after coming through Qualifying School.
“It my first win on Challenge Tour so it’s really exciting,” said the Sydney player. “It’s my birthday next week so it’s like an early present. I have a flight to catch this afternoon, I think it’ll only hit me then.”
Niall Turner made seven birdies in a closing 66 to share 14th on four under and earn €3,000 with Michael McGeady's 76 relegating him to tied 31st on one over and €1,400.
Scores
271 S Arnold (Aus) 71 65 67 68,
273 D Huizing (Ned) 68 68 66 71, J Robinson (Eng) 69 69 69 66,
274 J Hahn (USA) 71 70 64 69, C Berardo (Fra) 73 67 65 69, Gareth Shaw (Nir) 70 69 68 67, S Walker (Eng) 67 73 68 66, B Virto Astudillo (Esp) 67 68 70 69,
275 P Whiteford (Sco) 68 71 67 69, Chris Selfridge (Nir) 69 67 67 72, J Doherty (Sco) 66 70 72 67, D Law (Sco) 64 69 70 72, H Joannes (Bel) 68 70 69 68,
276 F Andersson Hed (Swe) 70 68 71 67, J Dantorp (Swe) 67 73 67 69, J Sjöholm (Swe) 74 67 64 71, R Enoch (Wal) 70 69 66 71, Niall Turner (Irl) 68 69 73 66,
277 T Remkes (Ned) 68 69 70 70, R Fox (Nzl) 72 68 64 73, S Hodgson (Eng) 71 71 66 69,
278 S Heisele (Ger) 71 70 70 67, N Bertasio (Ita) 70 71 66 71, J Fahrbring (Swe) 70 67 69 72,
279 J Winther (Den) 70 71 68 70, D Stewart (Sco) 71 70 69 69,
280 S Einhaus (Ger) 68 74 67 71, S Kim (USA) 74 68 67 71, R Coles (Eng) 68 72 70 70, N Geyger (Chi) 71 71 67 71,
281 S Manley (Wal) 68 70 72 71, J Adarraga Gomez (Esp) 67 72 69 73, T Anderson (Eng) 70 72 68 71, D Nouailhac (Fra) 72 69 67 73, M Søgaard (Den) 67 68 72 74, N Ravano (Ita) 67 70 72 72, A Saddier (Fra) 67 69 75 70, S Gros (Fra) 74 67 64 76, A Björk (Swe) 71 70 69 71, B Åkesson (Swe) 68 72 70 71, Michael McGeady (Irl) 67 71 67 76,
282 M Orrin (Eng) 69 68 74 71, F Praegant (Aut) 70 72 69 71,
283 N Lemke (Swe) 67 72 71 73, C Gloet (Den) 69 69 70 75, L Gagli (Ita) 73 68 70 72, P Tarver-Jones (Eng) 71 71 68 73, O Stark (Swe) 74 66 72 71, B Parker (Eng) 69 71 71 72, M Delpodio (Ita) 70 66 70 77,
284 W Harrold (Eng) 71 71 70 72, S Soderberg (Swe) 68 69 73 74, G Woolgar (Eng) 70 69 68 77,
285 C Ford (Eng) 74 68 66 77, G Houston (Wal) 71 71 70 73, P Relecom (Bel) 70 72 70 73, A Widemann (Fra) 70 65 76 74, R Langasque (am) (Fra) 69 72 68 76,
286 C Arendell (USA) 73 68 73 72,
287 A Hartø (Den) 68 73 72 74, S Fallon (Eng) 75 67 72 73,
289 A Bernadet (Fra) 72 66 76 75,
291 C Sordet (Fra) 72 70 74 75, C Aguilar (Esp) 73 68 75 75,
293 M Rocchi (Fra) 67 74 79 73,
297 C Tortuyaux (Fra) 76 66 79 76.
