IRISH AMATEUR CLOSE CHAMPIONSHIP:THE 16TH green at Royal Dublin will forever hold a special place in the affections of Dara Lernihan. Three times this week he's closed out matches on a hole known colloquially as Dolly, the most important yesterday's Irish Amateur Close Championship final against Banbridge's Rory Leonard.
The 23-year-old plus-two handicapper became the first Castle golfer to win a senior national championship – he already held the honour of being the club’s Irish senior international – with a mature and polished display to eke out a 3-and-2 victory.
He’d obviously absorbed the lessons of two years ago when he lost a Close final to Paul O’Hanlon.
There was never a hint of complacency, especially when he on winning the 12th hole to go three up.
He recalled afterwards: “I was just trying to play every hole as a one-hole match. I was three-up in the (Irish Close) final two years ago and lost at the 20th, so I never took it for granted that I was going to win until the match was finished.”
His resolve was certainly tested when Leonard struck a glorious pitch to eight feet and holed the birdie putt at the 14th to cut the deficit from three to a couple down.
Lernihan provided the perfect riposte at the next, thumping a wedge from 155 yards, downwind, onto the green and then watching what he would later concede was a lag putt, drop into the hole for a birdie and the restoration of his three-hole cushion.
He would have to wait just 12 minutes more before closing out the game.
“I was wondering if it was ever going to come; I have been close a few times. I’m just delighted. I have played well throughout the tournament. The furthest I went all week was to the 16th (green) so that’s an indication of how I played.”
He received the perfect start in having birdie putts conceded to him after his opponent drew a couple of poor lies.
Leonard, the West of Ireland champion admitted: “No complaints, he played very well. I got bad lies on the first and second and that’s what I was saying to Barry, my caddie; I wouldn’t have taken either shot back.
“I maybe got a bit adventurous at the second, tried to hit it on the green instead of playing to where Dara was, and left myself no shot.
“After that I was pretty happy. Just a couple of putts here and there (that didn’t go in). I missed a putt on the sixth. I hit a good bunker shot on 12 but then I missed the putt. Dara made a great three on 15.
“I thought he was maybe going to give me a chance there after I birdied 14 and he pushed his drive. It was going to be a tough shot, but he made a great putt. He had scared the hole with a few.”
Lernihan turned with a two-hole advantage and despite his opponent’s brief fightback on the 14th never really loosened his grip. Afterwards he paid tribute to his caddie, one of Connacht rugby’s new recruits, the St Mary’s College wing Darragh Fanning: the pair had been at school together.
Lernihan smiled: “He caddied for me two years ago in the final. It was the first time he caddied in the (Irish) Close and I thought I was going to have to sack him after that.
“He caddied for me in the East (Of Ireland) and then went to Cancun. He came back on Monday night and took the bag on Tuesday. He was a great help. I could not have done it on my own.”
In the morning semi-finals, Lernihan eased past Dunmurry’s Stephen Crowe 6 and 4 while Leonard accounted for the tournament’s leading qualifier in the strokeplay stage Moyola Park’s Luke Lennox 3 and 2.
DETAILS:Semi-Finals: Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry) 6/4; Rory Leonard (Banbridge) bt Luke Lennox (Moyola Park) 3/2. Final: Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt Rory Leonard (Banbridge) 3/2
