Opportunity missed for Moynihan; Sharvin "close" to maiden win; Booth wins
Erik Van Rooyen. Image: Getty Images
Gavin Moynihan missed a golden opportunity to take giant step towards retaining his European Tour card at the Scandinavian Invitation in Sweden.
The Portrane man (24) went into the final round tied for fifth at Hills Golf & Sports Club, just three strokes off the lead, after a brilliant 64 on Saturday.
A top-three finish would have catapulted him into the top 110 who avoid a trip to the Qualifying School in November.
But he bogeyed three of his last four holes in disappointing four-over 74 in Gothenburg to finish tied 47th, 13 shots behind maiden winner Erik Van Rooyen. Scores
The touring professional for Mount Juliet won €7,050 and moved up just three spots to 153rd in the Race to Dubai but has another chance to make hay when he joins former Walker Cup team mate Paul Dunne, Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy in this week's Omega European Masters in Crans.
Van Rooyen will tee it up in the Alps as a European Tour winner after he made a 15 footer for birdie at the 18th to win his maiden title by a shot from Matthew Fitzpatrick on 19-under-par.
The South African had a three-shot lead playing the 17th but made bogey to find himself tied with Fitzpatrick, who birdied the last two holes for a 64.
"I've been putting so well all day and to hole that one to win my first one is pretty cool," the South African said after making his putt for a 64 to claim the €250,000 top prize.
If it was a disappointing Sunday for Moynihan, it was another good week for his former Walker Cup team mate Cormac Sharvin, who moved closer to winning his card with a runner-up finish in the Challenge Tour's Rolex Trophy on Saturday. Scores
One of five Irishmen on the winning Great Britain and Ireland team in 2015, Sharvin finished just one shot behind the Netherlands' Darius van Driel to move from ninth to sixth in the race for 15 European Tour cards. Rankings
He was the leading Irishman in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Lahinch and after making two eagles, 21 birdies and just three bogeys in Switzerland to notch his fifth top-10 this year and claim €26,000, all that's missing is a win.
"It's close," said the former Irish Close winner, who credits the work he has done on his practice regime with Dr Ed Coughlan as one of the keys to his brilliant form this season.
"I've gained control of my game and my thinking so that even when I don't play great, I am still able to compete.
“For the first two round this week, I really had to manage the way I was playing. I managed things really well and got it around then played well on Friday and really lovely last day. I gave myself a chance and came up one short bit was a good week.”
Asked the difference in his game this year, he added: “It's just down to maturity, knowing when to take things on and when not to. I played a little more conservatively the first two days because I didn't feel like I had full control and then once I got more control, I could be more aggressive. So it's knowing when to take things on and that if you make a mistake, not to get too bogged down and just stick to taking it one shot at a time.”
Carly Booth of Scotland with the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open trophy. Credit: Tristan Jones
His tie for 15th in the Irish Open confirmed that he was on the right path and while it made headlines, it was not quite the finish he had in mind considering he could have sewn up his tour card with a top-three finish.
“I was actually disappointed in Lahinch more so than really delighted with my finish,” he said. “It was still a good stepping stone in that it showed that once I get out on the European Tour, I can compete in the biggest events. So to get myself into contention there, I learned a lot from it.
“The way I have bene playing this year I have got myself into contention a few times. So I feel like I am ready when I do get into contention to be able to win. I haven't got over the line this year, but I think it's close.”
Ryan Murphy (19) from Killymoon Golf Club in Co Tyrone was one of six people treated for their injuries after lightning struck a pine tree 38 minutes after play was suspended during the third round of the Tour Championship in Atlanta on Saturday.
His father Terry told BBC Northern Ireland that his son, who had spent the summer working in the US, was "knocked out cold" and left "bruised and shaken” by the strike before being released from the hospital.
The Cookstown native had been sheltering under a tree when the lightning struck and woke up "yards away” surrounded by emergency services personnel.
Meanwhile, Stephanie Meadow closed with a two-under 70 to finish tied 35th behind Korea's Jin Young Ko on eight-under-par in the LPGA Tour's CP Women's Open in Ontario.
She earned xxx and moved up for sports to 106th in the season’s standings with the top 100 keeping their cards.
On the Ladies European Tour, Scotland’s Carly Booth ended a seven year wait for her third Ladies European Tour title with victory in the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open, a dual-ranking event with the LET Access Series.
Booth carded rounds of 68, 69 and 70 for a 54-hole total of 207, nine-under-par, at Golf Resort Karlštejn to finish a stroke ahead of Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen, France’s Anais Meysonnier and English pair Charlotte Thompson and Hayley Davis.
