GOLF/EAST OF IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIP: Two broken wedges in the course of yesterday's 36 holes and a four-shot lead going into the final 18 that had disappeared by the time he strode to the third tee box failed to discommode Noel Fox as he swept to a third East of Ireland Championship title at Co Louth Golf Club yesterday.

In the end the margin of victory was five shots over Darren Crowe, the Ulster golfer producing a valiant effort that he could not quite sustain down the stretch, having thrust himself forward as Fox's main opponent with a wonderful five under par, 68 in the morning.

The 21-year-old Queen's University Finance student, who has spent the last nine months working for Bank of Ireland in Dublin, birdied four of the first six holes in the afternoon to tie for the lead at 13 under par. The rest of his round was rollercoaster-esque before finally being derailed over the closing three holes.

Bogeys at the seventh (three putt) and ninth (drove into a bunker) were quickly followed by back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11. At that stage Crowe and Fox were once again tied on 13 under, the 28-year-old Portmarnock golfer having birdied six and seven - he singled out the five iron to six feet on the latter hole as his shot of the tournament - but double-bogeyed the 10th.

Fox made the decisive move when dipping under the card on both the 11th and 13th just as Crowe was about to founder, his swing less assured with each passing shot.

The Belfast golfer conceded: "I wasn't playing that well coming into the tournament. I played poorly the first day although I finished with a 72. I started to play well on Sunday, played yesterday morning and obviously the same for the first six holes in the afternoon. I knew I was tied and just concentrated on trying to keep going. I hit it in close on the seventh but three putted. I was in a bunker on the ninth (he dropped another shot) but got it back with birdies on the 10th and 11th. I reverted to playing poorly over the last seven holes. The swing went. Possibly the wind affected it but it definitely went."

Fox, in comparison, drained a monster putt on the 13th and that effectively ended the contest. He could afford the luxury of a 10 on the par five, 18th hole: he took six and was understandably pleased despite missing out on a record championship winning total by a single shot.

"It was my best management week of all time," he said. He paid tribute to his younger brother James who caddied for him, keeping him both focused and controlled and coach Simon Byrne. It was his fifth senior amateur title - three East of Irelands, one West and an Irish Amateur Open Strokeplay - and the question arose about the lure of the professional ranks.

"I certainly haven't ruled it out. I'd love the opportunity to play in one of the pro events this year." On this form - four sub par rounds in a 14 under par aggregate - he would make quite an impression.

For Crowe a possible consolation is a place on the Ireland Youths team for a second year in in a row and a trip to the European Youths Championship next month.