Monkstown’s Sean Desmond wielded his putter like an offensive weapon to beat Carton House’s Keith Egan by one hole and claim a dream victory in the Pierse Motors VW-sponsored South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Lahinch.
The 21-year-old UCC student was not amongst the first or second-tier favourites to claim the 118th edition of Ireland’s oldest provincial championship. But, having beaten internationals Conor Purcell and Tiarnan McLarnon and then edged out 2016 North of Ireland champion Sean Flanagan with a closing birdie in the semi-finals, he proved that he had the gritty determination required to become the first Monkstown man to win a “major” since Tom Egan won the “East” in 1962.
“It’s only my third South of Ireland and to win, it’s pretty cool,” said Desmond, who battled his way back from two down after three holes to square the match by the seventh before proving more clinical on the greens as the final became an edgy nip-and-tuck affair.
“To be honest, I didn’t think I was at a level yet where I could win a championship. You obviously dream of winning championships. And I love Lahinch, it’s my favourite course, so to rock up here and win is pretty unbelievable.”
Superb all season
Egan, 26, had been superb all season and throughout the week in Lahinch, beating internationals Mark Power and John Murphy on his way to the semi-finals where he cruised to a 5 and 3 win over Newlands’ Jake Whelan.
He’s now third in the Bridgestone Order of Merit, which guarantees the top three a return trip to Lahinch for the Home Internationals and may well clinch the green jersey his season deserves. But he will be disappointed not to walk away the winner on Sunday.
He looked in control early in the final, playing the first four holes in two-under, winning the first and third with solid pars to go two up.
But, after pulled iron shots cost him the sixth and seventh and he had wrested back the lead with winning a par at the eighth, he found the dogged Desmond impossible to shake off.
The Cork man won the 10th in par, got up and down brilliantly for a half at the short 11th and then edged ahead for the first time by making a slippery 15-footer at the 13th.
Ice cold
Egan had a chance to match him from half that distance, but missed; and, while he also shaved the hole at the 14th and then hit the pin with a bunker shot and salvaged a half at the 15th, his putter was ice cold.
Desmond opened the door when he missed a two-footer for par at the 16th to leave them all square again. But he refused to go away and, after making a clutch eight-footer for par at the 17th, he watched Egan leave his seven-footer on an identical line short in the jaws.
Now one down, Newbridge native Egan drove into sand at the last and missed from 15 feet from the back edge for birdie, leaving Desmond two putts from 10 feet for the title – which he gratefully accepted.
South of Ireland Championship, sponsored by Pierse Motors VW, Lahinch
Semi-finals: Keith Egan (Carton House) bt Jake Whelan (Newlands) 5 & 3; Sean Desmond (Monkstown) bt Sean Flanagan (Portmarnock) 1 Hole.
Final: Desmond bt Egan 1 hole.
