Eddie Polland missed out on his third Seniors' title by the narrowest of margins when he lost by one hole to Delroy Cambridge in the final of the European Seniors Tour Matchplay Championship today.
Jamaican-born Cambridge (52) collected his third title of the season, his fourth in all on the Senior circuit, to receive the £16,000 winner's cheque at the Flamingos course in southern Spain. County Down's Polland (55) picked up £11,000 as the losing finalist.
Polland was attempting to become the first golfer in history to win the Match Play title on both the European Tour and the European Seniors Tour. He won the 1975 Sun Alliance PGA Match Play Championship at Lindrick but on this occasion he could not repeat that feat.
The Irishman, who now resides in Sotogrande also in southern Spain, was all-square with Cambridge playing the 18th before incurring some bad luck when he drove into a divot mark. From there Polland hit it through the green and into a hazard.
Cambridge, meanwhile, knocked his second into ten feet and then stood back and watched as Polland left his third shot in the hazard and then conceded the match.
"It was a terrible way to finish," the disappointed Irishman told the European Tour afterwads. "I did well to come back from three down with five to play but you can't legislate for what happened on the 18th.
"I feel very sorry for Eddie but that's the way it goes sometimes," said an elated Cambridge. "He came back strong with those three birdies on the 14th, 15th and 16th but overall I think I just about deserved to win.
In this morning's semi-finals Polland overcame Corkman Denis O'Sullivan by the same narrow margin he lost the in the final. Cambridge, on the otherhand, had one hole to spare in his 2&1 win over England's Nick Job.
Final:
Delroy Cambridge beat Eddie Polland by 1 hole
1st Semi-final:
Eddie Polland beat Denis O'Sullivan by 1 hole
2nd Semi-final:
Delroy Cambridge beat Nick Job by 2&1