Simon Edwards (Carden Park, Cheshire) completed his domination of the Glenmuir Club Professional Championship yesterday when he toured the County Louoth course in yet another sub-par score, 69 this time, for a winning aggregate of 275, 17 under par.
The holder, Bob Cameron from Kent ended his defence brilliantly with a closing 66, good enough to hoist him into runner-up position, three shots behind. The 30-year-old Edwards expressed himself shocked and stunned at having won the biggest cheque of his career, £9,250, saying: "just ask my assistant how I was playing last Sunday over our own course. I could scarcely keep the ball on the fairway."
That certainly wasn't the case over the fine Irish links that was reckoned by most of the players to have been a wonderful test of golf. The Englishman's worst round was a two-under-par 71, but any prospect of a close finish yesterday was flattened when Edwards fired four birdies in the opening nine holes for an outward 33. And just to snuff out any late challenge he made further gains - after two dropped shots - at the final two holes.
Meanwhile, Alison Coffey bowed out of the British Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship at Ladybank, Fife yesterday - but can look forward to being named tonight in the Great Britain and Ireland Vagliano team to face the Continent of Europe in Venice next month.
The 28-year-old Irish Champion from Warrenpoint put up a brave fight against the brilliant Australian Nadina Taylor before going down 3 and 2.
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