Ireland could yet have three representatives on this year's European Ryder Cup team following Paul McGinley's joint third-place finish in the Scottish Open yesterday.
The result moves the Dubliner up to eighth in the qualifying table, and another strong performance in this next week's British Open could cement his place alongside compatriots Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke in captain Sam Torrance's side to face the Americans at the Belfry in September.
McGinley finished on 12 under par, four shots behind the US Open champion Retief Goosen, who fired a steady, level par 71 to cruise to victory. Thomas Bjorn was alone in second on 13 under par.
But it could have been even better for McGinley, as he duffed his third shot at the last and bogeyed to fall into a tie for third with American John Daly, England's Barry Lane and Australian Adam Scott.
McGinley's error - only his third bogey of the week - cost him over £86,000 sterling and may yet cost him that precious Ryder Cup debut.
"I lost my concentration on the last tee because we had to wait so long, and for the third shot it was very wet where the ball was," McGinley said. "But I can't be too disappointed. I played really well and that's more cup points and more experience for me.
"I'm disappointed about what happened at the last, but a lot of people have done that and I'm not going to dwell on the negatives."
Meanwhile, Cork's Denis O'Sullivan confirmed his reputation as one of the European Seniors Tour's fastest finishers when he came from four shots off the overnight lead to capture his second Seniors Tour title of the season at the STC Scandinavian Seniors International at Kungsangens GC near Stockholm.
It was O'Sullivan's gave the Cork man his second title of this season after winning the Palmerston Trophy in Germany a fortnight ago.
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