GOLF DIGEST/CHALLENGE TOUR:A DISAPPOINTING weekend for the Irish contingent at the Credit Suisse Challenge in Luterbach finished with Gareth Shaw and Colm Moriarty failing to climb into the top 40 as England's Peter Baker captured the title.
It was Baker’s second victory in the Credit Suisse Challenge, following his previous victory in 2007, and the former Ryder Cup player now has his sights set on the British Open as he heads to final qualifying in the hope of securing a place for Turnberry.
Northern Ireland’s Shaw shot a final round of 73 to finish on four under par (288) for a share of 42nd. Moriarty finished tied 53rd after closing with a 71 for a two-under-par total of 290.
Baker shot a six-under-par final round of 67 for a one-stroke victory over Austrian Florian Praegant.
Baker becomes the first player to win the event twice and the first player over the age of 40 to win on the Challenge Tour since he himself won on his 40th birthday in 2007.
Baker, a three-time winner on The European Tour, flies straight to Scotland and to Glasgow — Gailes Links, where he will attempt to win one of the 12 spots available through Local Final Qualifying for a place in the 138th Open Championship at Turnberry.
It was a close run battle with Praegant challenging all the way but Baker managed to keep his nose in front with birdies on the 15th and 17th before holing a crucial 12 foot par putt on the last to deny his playing partner.
AMATEUR:Ireland finished their European Amateur Team Championship campaign at Conwy on a high at the weekend, gaining genuine consolation for their surrender of the title.
Having failed to make the first flight on Wednesday, they knew they could not win the crown for a third successive year – but they soon put the disappointment behind them and produced a series of high-class performances.
They overcame Portugal on Thursday, Iceland the following day and concluded the week by defeating Denmark to end up in ninth place in Europe, the best outcome possible after missing out on first flight qualification.
Portstewart’s Paul Cutler,still hopeful of a place in the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup side in September, was in devastating form on Saturday to demolish Morten Orum Madsen by 7 and 6.
Cutler (20) was six under par. He won four of the first six holes, turned for home six up and was always in control.
The reigning East of Ireland champion did not lose a hole during the match.
Royal Dublin’s Brabazon Trophy winner Niall Kearney and Simon Ward from County Louth also triumphed to give Ireland the victory.
Scotland won the championship for the sixth time in the 50-year history of the tournament when they beat England 5-2 in the final. Italy took the Bronze medal with 5-2 defeat of Norway.
US TOUR: Tiger Woods held a two-stroke lead over Anthony Kim and Hunter Mahan midway through the final round of the $6 million ATT National at Congressional Country Club last night.
Through nine holes, world number one and tournament host Woods was two under par on the pristine 7,255-yard course in suburban Washington, DC, and 12-under overall.
Kim, the defending champion who began the day on top of the leaderboard with Woods, took the lead briefly with a birdie on the opening hole but stumbled with bogeys on five and eight.
He stayed within striking distance of Woods with a birdie on nine.
Mahan was six-under on the day after 16 holes.
