Golf: Noel Ratcliffe brought to a fruitful conclusion a litany of near misses in the AIB Irish Seniors Open Championship. The 58-year-old from Sydney, who had finished runner-up three times in this tournament, claimed the title at Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort as well as a winners' cheque for €49,500.
On a day of heavy showers and gusting wind it was hardly surprising that fortunes fluctuated but few would have predicted the conclusion to the tournament where fortune favoured the least profligate. The event was Ratcliffe's to lose after eight holes of the closing round, as he enjoyed a three-shot lead of his nearest rival Delroy Cambridge.
However, a bogey at the ninth allied to a brace of birdies from the Jamaican saw the pair tied on eight under par. Ratcliffe dropped another shot on the 14th to slip behind only for Cambridge to go double bogey, bogey and hand back the initiative. It appeared the decisive twist but on the 17th the Australian drove into the trees. He found his ball but it was a minute after the allotted five and he was forced to trudge back to the tee; he would eventually take a double bogey six. Scotland's Martin Gray had crept into contention at five under, but his bogey, bogey finish would leave him one shot adrift.
Ratcliffe and Cambridge stood on the 18th tee, both on five under. This time it was the Jamaican that blinked, driving behind a tree, finding a horrendous lie and knocking his four iron recovery the full 10 yards. He had a 15 footer for par after taking four to make the green but missed.
The only man that could deny Ratcliffe was American Bob Lendzion who needed to eagle the final hole. He hit the apron in two but his chip shaved the hole on the its way past. Ratcliffe played the 544-yard par five 18th sensibly, eventually enjoying two putts from 15 feet to take the title.
Irish interest was little more than academic, certainly as far as the business end of affairs was concerned. Fintona club professional Paul Leonard mused after Friday's opening round that his status as leading Irishman in the tournament would be of greater import if he was able to sustain that challenge through to yesterday, a feat he accomplished with some elan.
Leonard made light of the conditions to post a superb two-under-par 70 on the day for a two over total and a share of 12th place. When reminded of his wish after the first round, Leonard smiled: "I'm proud to do that. I changed my irons for today, using a lighter set (TaylorMade) a suggestion made by Noel (Garrity) my caddie. I'd hit a few shots fat on Saturday and these felt better."
Leonard recovered from a visit to the water at the first, making a 15-foot putt for a 'good bogey'. He dropped another at the par three fourth, unable to get up and down from a bunker but thereafter his card was blemish free.
Birdies at the ninth, 11th and 13th took him to one under regulation figures before converting an easy two-foot putt following a beautifully struck eight iron on the 15th for a final birdie. The other Irishman to enjoy the final day was Waterville's Liam Higgins. Despite shooting a three-over-par 75, Higgins eight over total for the tournament was enough to see him win an additional €1,500 as the leading 'Super Senior', awarded to the leading competitor over 60 years old. There was a touch of farce added to this award as Higgins, believing that Malcolm Gregson had pipped him, headed for Dublin.
The Englishman will not be 60 until August though so Higgins prevailed. Unfortunately for the Waterville man he must attend the presentation under the rules of the European Seniors Tour or face €500 fine.
