Irish trio moves up Challenge Tour rankings
Joel Girrbach. Image courtesy of Emanuel Stotzer
Kevin Phelan moved up 51 places to 115th in the Road to Oman rankings as Joel Girrbach secured a maiden European Challenge Tour title in front of a jubilant home crowd in the Swiss Challenge presented by ASG.
Phelan closed with a two-over 73 to finish tied 22nd on seven-under-par at Golf Sempachersee where Girrbach shot 68 to win by two shots from Scotland's Craig Lee on 15-under par.
With this victory Girrbach climbs to fifth in the Road to Oman Rankings, having started the week in 87th place.
America’s Julian Suri maintained his position as Challenge Tour Number One by claiming a share of third place.
Ruaidhri McGee rose one place to 17th after he shot 73 to finish tied for 20th in Switzerland on eight under.
Ardglass' Cormac Sharvin moved up seven places to 85th in the Road to Oman after a closing 71 left him tied for 28th on six-under.
The top 15 money winners earn European Tour cards at the end of the season.
Final scores:
267 J Girrbach (Sui) 68 67 64 68,
269 C Lee (Sco) 68 63 71 67,
271 C Koepka (USA) 68 67 65 71, J Suri (USA) 64 68 69 70,
272 J Zunic (Aus) 67 70 67 68, M Cort (Eng) 67 67 69 69,
273 M Trappel (Aut) 71 66 67 69, J Senior (Eng) 70 68 66 69, E Johansen (Nor) 72 63 69 69, J Arnoy (Nor) 71 68 68 66, P Whiteford (Sco) 67 69 68 69,
274 M Fenasse (Fra) 68 67 68 71, L Gagli (Ita) 68 68 68 70, S Hodgson (Eng) 67 71 68 68, S Kim (USA) 68 71 68 67, B Rusch (Sui) 70 65 69 70,
275 D Van Driel (Ned) 70 66 71 68, V Riu (Fra) 67 66 68 74, O Farr (Wal) 68 69 69 69,
276 M Delpodio (Ita) 74 65 67 70, Ruaidhri McGee (Irl) 67 67 69 73,
277 P Oriol (Esp) 68 69 69 71, R McCarthy (Aus) 71 67 70 69, K Phelan (Irl) 68 64 72 73, T Murray (Eng) 71 66 71 69, J Doherty (Sco) 71 68 69 69, B Paolini (USA) 64 71 72 70,
278 M Haastrup (Den) 69 71 69 69, N Cullen (Aus) 67 72 71 68, C Sharvin (Nir) 69 68 70 71, S Brown (Eng) 70 67 71 70, D Vancsik (Arg) 70 68 70 70, F Laporta (Ita) 68 69 69 72, J Bower (Eng) 69 71 70 68,
279 J Lando Casanova (Fra) 69 70 69 71, J Van Der Vaart (Ned) 67 71 70 71, W Harrold (Eng) 74 64 67 74, D Law (Sco) 70 70 69 70,
280 B Hellgren (Swe) 72 68 70 70, M Iten (Sui) 68 69 70 73, K Johannessen (Nor) 70 66 74 70, G Migliozzi (Ita) 70 67 72 71,
281 S Jeppesen (Swe) 67 68 75 71, C Braeunig (Ger) 73 67 69 72, M Kramer (Ger) 70 70 70 71, R Hjelm (Den) 68 71 71 71, C Ford (Eng) 69 65 74 73,
282 P Howard (Eng) 67 73 68 74, L Galliano (Sui) 68 70 73 71, B Hafthorsson (Isl) 67 67 76 72, L Cianchetti (am) (Ita) 70 70 71 71,
283 A Saddier (Fra) 71 69 70 73,
284 G Woolgar (Eng) 70 69 73 72, M Schneider (Ger) 71 69 71 73, M Baldwin (Eng) 70 69 72 73, K Eriksson (Swe) 71 68 72 73,
285 M Wiegele (Aut) 69 70 74 72, V Østerby (Den) 68 72 73 72, D Huizing (Ned) 67 71 75 72,
286 B Easton (RSA) 71 68 73 74, C Sordet (Fra) 70 70 76 70,
287 W Besseling (Ned) 70 69 72 76, N Ravano (Ita) 70 69 73 75,
** P Roos (Fin) 72 68 75 WD,
