Irish Challenge glory for England's Todd Clements

Holywood’s Tom McKibbin made six birdies in a row on the front nine to finish a career-best second on 13-under after a 66 to secure the Christy O’Connor Jnr Memorial Trophy as the leading home player

Sun, 31 Jul, 2022 - 19:06

Brian Keogh

England’s Todd Clements might have romped to a six-shot win in the Irish Challenge but it was West Waterford’s Gary Hurley who felt like a winner as he took another giant step on his emotional journey from the doldrums to golfing relevance at The K Club.

After starting the day with a five-shot lead, 25-year-old Clements could afford to bogey two of his last three holes and still card a four-under 68 to win his maiden Challenge Tour title on 19-under par.

Not only did that secure him a invitation to next year’s Horizon Irish Open in The K Club’s Palmer North Course, is also catapulted him from 30th to 15th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings and into position to win his DP World Tour card for next season as one of the top 20 in the standings.

Kinsale’s John Murphy finished third on 11-under after a 70 to jump to 47th in the Road to Mallorca despite not having his very best stuff.

But Hurley still felt like a winner, even after being forced to hole a nine footer for a closing par-five and a 73 that left him in a seven-way tie for fifth on nine-under with the likes of Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell, who shot 70.

“I did win this week,” said an emotional Hurley, who came close to quitting the game three years ago but is now an Alps Tour winner thanks to the work he has done on his mental game with Dr Edward Coughlan.

“I won for myself and my emotions and the way I handled myself. It is becoming normal now at this stage. It doesn’t mean it is easy but this is the way I play and the way I operate. My operating system has gotten a serious upgrade in the last three years. Battery life is up.” He added: “I am happy. I am a little bit emotional when I think of where I was and how I played today and not just played, but how I controlled my emotions.”

Murphy got off to a slow start but after turning in level par, he picked up two shots on the way home to secure his joint best finish on tour and a cheque for €17,500.

“I am obviously coming away with any silverware but I am very happy with my game and my week even though my scores weren’t showing it,” he said. “There is still room for improvement but there’s plenty of time left this season.”

Alps Tour regular Sugrue tied for 30th on three-under after a 75 and while he paid for two bunkered tee shots on the back nine, running up a pair of double bogey sixes at the 13th and 16th, he feels he’s learning the ropes in the pro game.

“The standard is fantastic on all the tours and no matter what the conditions, someone will shoot seven under par every day,” he said. “It really is an apprenticeship. Rome wasn’t built in a day but as they say, it was worked on every day so I will keep working at it.”

As for the winner, he turned in three-under to stretch his five shot overnight lead to six, then followed a two at the short 12th with an eagle two at the 14th, where he sucked a wedge back into the hole to stretch his lead to eight.

“It’s a surreal feeling,” said Clements, who bogeyed the 16th and 18th but won €40,000 to move to fourth in the Road to Mallorca standings. “It’s been an unbelievable four days. I was pushed right to the wire, it doesn’t really look like it but it’s been a great week where everything clicked."