McElhinney wins Order of Merit Award

Reigning Irish Amateur Close champion, Brian McElhinney (North West) has won the Willie Gill Order of Merit Award for 2004.

In a very close finish, McElhinney tied with Mark Campbell (Stackstown) on 115 points.

But McElhinney, by virtue of his victory in the Irish Amateur Close Championship at Donegal in June, topped the Order of Merit table.

This is the first time that McElhinney has won the Willie Gill Award, having finished with the same number of points as Noel Fox last year. McElhinney lost out to the Portmarnock golfer who won the Irish Amateur Open championship in 2003.

Mark Campbell had the opportunity to win the Willie Gill Award at the South of Ireland Championship.

Following the defeat of McElhinney in the third round, Campbell needed to win his fifth round match to score points in the order of merit table, but he lost out to the eventual defeated finalist Greg Bowden of Hermitage.

McElhinney, who will defend his European Individual Championship title in Skodve, Sweden next month, is a member of the Walker Cup squad selected for the 2005 match.

Previous winners of the Willie Gill Award inlcude Michael Hoey (tied 1998), Peter Lawrie (1996), Padraig Harrington (1995 & 1994) and Darren Clarke (1990 & 1989).