Heroic Holland has the final say

Castle’s Daniel Holland broke the hearts of the huge home gallery when he left Des Morgan in his wake and cruised to a three-shot win with a brilliant final round performance in the Mullingar Scratch Trophy.

The 23-year old, who almost single-handedly helped the Dublin club win their first All-Ireland Senior Cup in 99 years last season, closed with a four under 68 to claim his first major individual triumph with an eight under par total of 280.

Morgan struggled to a third round 74 but still led by a shot from Holland on five under par through 54 holes after the Dubliner took a triple bogey seven at the 17th en route to a 73.

There were 14 players within six shots of Morgan, and while Portmarnock’s Geoff Lenehan (70), Dundalk’s Aaron Grant (68) and Warrenpoint’s William Hanna (70) posted the clubhouse target at five under par, it was always going to come down to Holland and Morgan on the back nine.

Morgan turned for home just a shot in front on six under.

Holland drained a 30 footer at the 11th to go two clear on six under and while Morgan birdied the par-three 12th to get within one, he couldn’t get up and down from greenside sand and match his opponent’s birdie at the par-five 14th.

Both men missed birdie chances at the 15th and 16th before the 17th decided the title.

Holland hit a five wood and an eight iron to nine feet as Morgan missed the green and bogeyed to fall three behind on four under, eventually carding a 73 to share fifth with Claremorris’ Stephen Healy (70) and Irish Amateur Open champion Robbie Cannon (67) from Balbriggan.

Holland could afford to bogey and win but with three putts for the title, the UCD graduate in Landscape Architecture rolled in his birdie putt and paid tribute to former Walker Cup star Eoghan O’Connell, having just returned from six months working under the Corkman at the Fox Club in Florida.