Stracey holds nerve to claim Seniors Open crown at Bangor

ANDREW STRACEY (Littlestone GC, Kent), fired a final round 78 to win the Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship at Bangor Golf Club yesterday.

A one handicapper, Stracey (55) was contesting the tournament for the first time, and following his opening rounds of 71 and 70, he held a convincing five-stroke lead over Doneraile’s Michael Quirke.

Quirke steadily closed the gap during the final round, in which he opened with par-birdie-par before playing solid golf to edge within two strokes of Stracey with three to play.

Stracey birdied the 16th hole but his lead was reduced to one thanks to a fantastic eagle three from the Cork man. The two finished with pairs of pars and Stracey became the first English winner of the event since Cliff Hartland from Huddersfield secured his third title in a row in 1992.

Irish seniors international John Carroll (Bandon) captured the trophy for Over 60s players while Peter Cowley (Cork) won the Over 65s trophy.

Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship, (sponsored by the Algarve Tourist Board), Bangor Golf Club:

After 54 Holes:

219: A Stracey (England) 71 70 78

220: M Quirke (Doneraile) 73 73 74

223: S McParland (Greenore) 75 73 75

224: T Cleary (Cork) 79 74 71, W Donlon (Birr) 77 72 75, P Posnett (Shandon Park) 76 74 74

225: N Duke (Killiney) 72 74 79

226: A Donkersley (England) 78 70 78, V Smyth (Co. Louth) 72 76 78

227: M Kelly (Killeen) 78 75 74, P Cowley (Cork) 77 75 75 (Winner Over 65’s Trophy), D Lane (England) 73 75 79

228: B Edgar (England) 80 74 74, H Smyth (Mourne) 80 71 77, A Morrow (Portmarnock) 73 78 77, R Berry (Rossmore) 71 78 79

229: S Hopkins (Wales) 77 72 80, J Carroll (Bandon) 75 79 75 (Winner Over 60’s Trophy), M Coote (Tralee) 75 75 79

230: A Carman (England) 75 75 80, L MacNamara (Woodbrook) 72 77 81

231: M Eager (Lucan) 81 74 76, B Burke (Moate) 80 74 77, E McCartan (Greenore) 80

73 78, N Swenson (USA) 79 74 78, G Mellerick (Fota Island) 77 78 76, J Hackler (USA) 74 78 79

232: D Murphy (Scotland) 83 74 75, B Mills (Clandeboye) 80 72 80, J O’Grady (K Club) 77 77 78, A Smith (Blainroe) 76 78 78

233: R Whiteside (England) 80 76 77, S Baker (England) 78 79 76, A Higgins (The Royal Dublin) 77 80 76

234: R Gill (Scotland) 75 79 80

235: P Slater (England) 81 74 80, N Russell (Clandeboye) 77 74 84, G Rees (Wales) 73 77 85

236: R Cotter (Delgany) 81 76 79, R Tolly (USA) 78 78 80, M Morris (Portmarnock) 78 76 82, J Browne (Belvoir Park) 77 78 81, G O’Keeffe (Waterford) 76 79 81

237: B O’Leary (Greystones) 73 83 81

238: J Paton (Scotland) 83 74 81, J Baldwin (USA) 80 77 81

241: S Sander (USA) 76 78 87

242: M Temple (USA) 77 77 88

DQ: P Crellin (England) 81 77 DQ, S Hosty (Galway) 78 81 DQ, R Wallace (Spa) 87 82 DQ