Victory for McElhinney in Amateur Close

North West’s Brian McElhinney survived the elements to win the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close Championship in storm conditions at Murvagh.

The 21 year old Donegal ace triumphed by one hole as fellow clubman Michael McGeady pulled his drive into a drain at the 18th.

Playing in a vicious squall for most of the back nine, McGeady had to take a penalty drop at the last and eventually lost the hole to a bogey five.

It was a tragic finish for McGeady who had holed a 20 footer for birdie on the 17th, forcing McElhinney to match him from five feet to send the match up the last all square.

McElhinney is now a triple champion after winning the North of Ireland and European Individual Championship last summer.

He said: “The first win is always the most important but this is the Irish Close and all the best players come here so it is wonderful to win it.

“It was tough out there. But it was also one of the best matches I’ve ever played. It was a wee bit rare to play someone you play with nearly every day of the week.”

McGeady played solidly on the front nine turned two up before the weather turn foul and McElhinney started to claw his way back.

A par at the 10th reduced the deficit to one hole and he then saved a miraculous par for a half at the 11th after pushing his approach in deep rough on the side of a hill.

He said: “I don’t think I’d ever do that again if I stood there all day trying. I didn’t think I had a shot but it was just pure luck. It came out perfect.”

Thinking he had lost a ball on the par five 12th, McElhinney found it with seconds to spare and won the hole with a conceded par five to square the match as McGeady put his third in a drain.

In the semi-finals, played in brilliant sunshine, McElhinney beat Gareth Maybin of Ballyclare by 3 and 2 as McGeady survived a late comeback by Alastair McKinley of Shandon Park to win by one hole.

Semi-finals:

B McElhinney (North West) bt G Maybin (Ballyclare) 3 and 2;

M McGeady (North West) bt A McKinley (Shandon Park) 1 hole;

Final: B McElhinney (North West) bt M McGeady (North West) 1 hole.