O'Neill digs deep to win German Boys title
Luke O'Neill and Emilie Paltrinieri take the titles. Photo: DGV / stebl)
Connemara’s Luke O’Neill clinched the Allianz German Boys Open by one stroke after a dramatic final day at Golf Club St. Leon-Rot.
Leading by two strokes overnight from the host club’s Philipp Katich and Munich’s Felix Krammer after rounds of 69 and 66, the Galway star closed with a 70 to win by one stroke from Katich on 11-under par.
Reigning French Boys champion Katich did not make life easy for O’Neill, getting off to a lightning start as he made an eagle and two birdies on the front nine to draw level on 11-under as the Irishman went out in two-under.
Katich then birdied the 11th and 12th to move two clear of O’Neill and Krammer on 13-under before the drama unfolded.
Krammer holed a seven-iron for an ace at the 163-metre 13th to join O’Neill 11-under, just one behind Katich, who bogeyed the hole.
It was then O’Neill’s turn to make a move and as he birdied the 14th to get to 12-under, Katich found water with his second and made a triple bogey seven and Krammer bogeyed.
As a result, O’Neill went to the 15th two shots clear of Krammer and three ahead of Katich on 12-under but he bogeyed the 15th and 16th to see his lead trimmed to just one shot over the home favourite with two holes to play.
He birdied the 17th to remain one clear of Katich, who also made a four at the par-five, to take a one-shot lead to the 18th.
But while he found sand at the last, the Connacht man managed to chisel out a par-four to clinch a famous victory.
Baltinglass’ Joseph Byrne (73 70 73) tied for 35th on level par with Lisburn’s Aaron Marshall (74 72 72) tied 44th on two-over.
Royal Dublin’s Max Kennedy (74 73 75) was tied 64th on six-over with Seapoint’s Dylan Keating (787574) 82nd on 11-over and Roganstown’s Joshua McCabe (77 77 74) tied 85th on 12-over.
Italy’s Emilie Paltrinieri won the Girls’ event by a shot from Germany’s Lydia Volkmer and Benedetta Moresco on 11-under par with Elm Park’s Anna Foster (797171) tied 48th on one-under and Douglas’ Sara Byrne (777174) a shot further back in joint 53rd.