Sligo’s Sean McTernan narrowly missed out on keeping the AIB Irish Amateur championship title on home soil, finishing the final day’s run of two rounds just one shot behind eventual winner Craig Smith of Wales.
McTernan, whose 72 yesterday brought him back into contention , saw his birdie putt to force a play-off miss the lip on the eighteenth hole on the Montgomerie course at Carton House, Maynooth, leaving him with a fourth round score of 70.
St Mellons’ Smith, currently fourth in the Konica Welsh amateur order of merit, carded a stunning course record equalling 68 in the morning’s third round to go to two over par, after a poor showing of 77 and 73 in the opening rounds.
His afternoon’s work of 71 left him three shots clear of Austrian Florian Praegant, at one over par and a clear early clubhouse lead of his own. McTernan could only par the last though, with overnight leader Kevin Moore of the Isle of Man a stroke behind Praegant in fourth following a closing round of 76.
Filed by Rob Wright
