Hurley’s wonder birdie fails to stop Selfridge

Moyola Park’s Chris Selfridge took the title but not before West Waterford’s Gary Hurley hit one of the most dramatic birdies ever seen at Royal Portrush to set up a nerve-jangling finale to the Golfsure sponsored Irish Amateur Close at a sun-kissed Dunluce Links.

Seven strokes behind the eventual winner with a round to go, Hurley got to within two shots of the leader with two holes to play when he produced one of the shots of the championship.

Two under for his round, the NUI Maynooth Paddy Harrington Scholarship player, hit a snap hook into bushes left of the par-five 17th.