Ward set for pro ranks after second South

Twenty-six years-old Simon Ward, a native of Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan and a member of Co Louth, made his final appearance in an amateur championship a winning one at Lahinch yesterday when he won the South of Ireland for a second time.

Ward, the 2006 champion at the age of 19, ended the magnificent challenge of the little-known Kilkenny player Paul O’Hara at the first extra hole and now plans to turn professional and compete in the various European Tour qualifiers in September and hopefully make it through to the decider in Spain at the end of November.

An added pleasure for this likeable young man was the presence in the remarkably sizeable gallery of hisparents Peter and Mary.