Golf European Amateur ChampionshipBrian McElhinney can now look forward to playing in the British Open at Royal Troon next July after coming from behind in sensational fashion to win the European Amateur Individual Championship at Nairn in the north of Scotland at the weekend.
An invitation by the R&A to the British Open is one of the big rewards for becoming European champion.
The North of Ireland champion who plays out of the North West Club went into the fourth and final round eight strokes behind long-time leader Michael Thannhauser from Hamburg and admitted afterwards he did not think he could win.
"I thought Thannhauser was too far ahead of everybody. Even when I finished my last round I thought he would win it," said McElhinney. It was a slump in form over the closing holes by the German combined with some magic by McElhinney that turned the tide.
Thannhauser was still well clear of the field coming into the closing stages but in the best conditions of the week he had three bogeys in five holes from the 12th and threw away his chance with a lost ball at the 17th which cost him a double bogey six.
That meant the German was back at four under par after being nine under and he needed to birdie the last to force a play-off with McElhinney who was safely in the clubhouse with a 72-hole total of 283 after a closing 67.
But Thannhauser drove into rough, took three to make the green and failed to hole a 40-foot birdie putt.
England's former world junior champion Matthew Richardson also came to the final hole needing a birdie four to force a play-off but he drove into a bunker and his chance disappeared.
McElhinney, meanwhile, had knocked in some useful putts down the home stretch and collected birdies on three of the last four holes. A 14-footer to save par at the 14th was followed by putts of between four and 15 feet for the birdies.
Spaniard Pablo Martin, Richardson and Thannhauser tied for second place on 284, one stroke behind McElhinney.
Darren Crowe was the next best Irishman with a 288 total while Walker Cup man Noel Fox finished on 290 and Mark O'Sullivan and Gareth Maybin on 294.
