Joe Lyons of Banagher is the new West of Ireland Open champion after victory over Paul Cutler of Portstewart on the last hole in their final yesterday.
Lyons, 34, cooly putted his way to a one-hole victory over Cutler in tense finale in a fitting end to five days of golf at the championship at Rosses Point.
The new champion had previously let putts slip past in previuos tournaments even though he had helped Galway capture the Irish Senior Cup title at Enniscrone just last September.
But this was his shot at glory and he wasn't going to miss out, rounding off a fine back nine with a six foot birdie to seal his first individual championship win.
Lyons had beaten Simon Ward by 2 and 1 in his semi-final thanks to a 40 foot par putt at the 17th and Cutler edged out Strandhill's Tommy McGowan on the 20th hole.
