Selfridge wonder shot secures amazing double

Recently crowned Irish Close champion Chris Selfridge hit a wonder shot on the final hole of a three-hole aggregate play-off to match the 1988 feat of Ulster great Garth McGimpsey and complete a famous double by lifting the East of Ireland title at a sun-kissed Co Louth.

Eight days after his ‘Close’ win at Portrush, the 20-year old from Moyola Park in Derry defeated Knock’s Nicky Grant with a sensational par four at Baltray’s bunker-strewn ninth. The pair finished tied on two under par 286 with Selfridge carding rounds of 69 and 70 early in the day to set the target two hours before Grant added a 69 to his morning 71 to match him.

But after they both made pars at the first and par-five second, it was Selfridge who prevailed with a dramatic winning four as sudden death loomed.

Bunkered off the tee at the 419-yard par-four ninth, the Close champion laid up and hit a 52 degree wedge from 122 yards to three feet. Grant, fortunate to carry the bunkers on the left off the tee, came up 45 feet short of the flag with his approach from the semi-rough and, with his rival looking certain to make par, nervously left his birdie putt eight feet short.

He duly pushed his par putt right of the hole to make bogey and Selfridge calmly rolled home his short putt to become the first player to complete the Close/East double in the same season since McGimpsey 24 years ago.

“It feels fantastic, winning championships back to back,” said a delighted Selfridge, who was eight strokes behind overnight leader James Fox of Portmarnock entering yesterday’s final 36 holes. “I never thought I would get one win, never mind two.

“I was ready for the play-off when it came. I had no pressure at all after winning just last week.”

Fox, who was four shots clear of the field with two rounds to play, followed a morning 76 with a 72 to finish a shot outside the play-off on one-under alongside defending champion Richard O’Donovan (68-71) and Warrenpoint’s Colm Campbell (74-68).

Fox led by four shots overnight from Co Sligo’s Gary McDermott but slipped to a morning 76 to find himself tied for the lead with Newlands’ Andrew Hogan (68) on one under heading into the final round. The 29-year old Dubliner flew the flag well but eventually finished a shot outside the play-off alongside Campbell and O’Donovan of Lucan on one under.

Tied for the lead with Selfridge and Grant with two to play after a great par save from the back of the 16th, the Dubliner took three from just off the 17th green and then, having bunkered his tee shot, narrowly failed to birdie the last from 18 feet as he closed with a brave 72.

Campbell three putted the last from 60 feet for par five and a closing 68 to miss out on the play-off by one. But he wasn’t the only man wondering what might have been.

Hogan was two under for the championship playing the 18th, lost a ball right of the fairway and took seven for a 73 to slip to sixth on par alongside Portmarnock’s Geoff Lenehan, Sligo’s Michael Durcan and the impressive Gary Hurley from West Waterford, who closed with a brilliant 67.