Galbraith seventh as Plant takes European Amateur in sudden-death
John-Ross Galbraith (Whitehead Golf Club) during the Lytham Trophy. Photo © Golffile / Thos Caffrey.
Whitehead's John-Ross Galbraith closed with a super 65 to finish tied seventh as England's Alfie Plant won the European Amateur Championship with a birdie at the second sudden-death hole at Walton Heath.
Galbraith, the only Irish player to make the cut who is not on the Walker Cup panel, made eight birdies and a bogey in an impressive final round to move up 22 places to 12-under par.
He briefly held the clubhouse lead by ended up three shots outside a playoff that saw Plant (68) tie with defending champion Luca Cianchetti (69) and his Italian compatriot Lorenzo Scalise (69) on 15-under par.
A three-hole aggregate playoff followed at the first, second and 18th holes with Cianchetti eliminated as he went 4-4-4 (bogey-par-par) to par figures for Plant and Scalise.
Returning to the first for sudden-death, Plant lipped out from 18 feet for the win but captured the title at the second when he rolled in a 15 footer for birdie.
It was a mixed week for Ireland's Walker Cup hopefuls but Paul McBride did his chances no harm after his good showing in the Amateur Championship when he closed with a 67 to share 13th on 10-under par with Naas' Conor O'Rourke, who shot a final round 71.
Warrenpoint's Colm Campbell continued his run of improved form with a share of 32nd while Tullamore's Stuart Grehan (39th) and Tramore's Robin Dawson (47th) will have been hoping for better.
The next challenge for Ireland's leading amateurs is to play well in the European Amateur Team Championships at Diamond Country Club in Austria from July 13-15.
Campbell, Dawson, Grehan, McBride, O’Rourke and Galbraith are the six selected.
European Amateur Championship, Walton Heath (Old Course, Par 72)
T1 SCALISE, Lorenzo (Golf Club Milano) 64 75 65 69 273
T1 PLANT, Alfie (Sundridge Park) 72 66 67 68 273
T1 CIANCHETTI, Luca (Modena Golf) 70 67 67 69 273
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T4 MACINTYRE, Robert (Glencruitten Golf Club) 68 70 70 66 274
T4 PASTOR, Victor (RCG Córdoba) 71 64 73 66 274
6 JORDAN, Matthew (Royal Liverpool Golf Club) 68 68 73 66 275
T7 GALBRAITH, John-Ross (Whitehead Golf Club) 75 70 66 65 276
T7 SINGH BRAR, Jack (Remedy Oak Golf Clubs) 72 72 66 66 276
T13 MCBRIDE, Paul (The Island) 70 69 72 67 278
T13 O’ROURKE, Conor (Naas) 67 70 70 71 278
T32 CAMPBELL, Colm (Warrenpoint) 70 72 69 71 282
T39 GREHAN, Stuart (Tullamore) 70 72 71 70 283
T47 DAWSON, Robin (Tramore) 68 73 72 72 285
63 PURCELL, Conor (Portmarnock) 72 72 70 77 291
64 YATES, Jonathan (Naas) 72 72 70 79 293
Cut ( -2 / 214)
MC GLEESON, Alex (Castle) 73 69 73 215
MC MULLIGAN, Thomas (Laytown And Bettystown) 70 77 74 221