Patrick Curran (Edmondstown) was a kind of to take benefit. Six birdies helped him to an outstanding three-under 69, transferring him to inside two photographs of the lead heading into the ultimate spherical.
Enjoying within the penultimate two-ball alongside James Hewitt (Tandragee), Curran made a blistering begin to the afternoon. An eagle on the Par 5 second utilized early strain to the chief. With Keating opening with a bogey within the group behind, Curran rapidly moved into the lead as he adopted up with a birdie on 3.
Keating’s problem suffered an additional setback with a triple bogey at 4 and a double at 7, whereas Curran continued to look composed on the prime of the leaderboard.
“I put it within the Dunluce Lodge off seven after which hit my subsequent one left after which missed a brief one,” stated Keating.
“I simply needed to keep affected person. I knew there was going to be some possibilities developing.”
The Seapoint golfer took these possibilities with birdies at 9, 11 and 12 serving to him battle again into competition as he closed the hole on Curran.
The pair have been tied at two-under via 15 holes, having separated themselves from the chasing pack because the championship headed in direction of a dramatic end.
Calamity Nook as soon as once more lived as much as its title when Curran bogeyed the Par 3 sixteenth to drop again to one-under. Moments later, Keating produced the decisive second of the championship, driving the inexperienced at 17 earlier than changing his birdie putt to retake the outright lead.
A closing par on the 18th would see Keating end at two-under-par to safe the most important victory of his beginner profession, finishing a exceptional turnaround having suffered two heavy blows early within the closing spherical.
“I remembered how I used to be down the stretch within the scratch cup right here to birdie the final and win,” stated Keating.
“I trusted myself and my coach Shane jogged my memory that I gained a number of Boys’ tournaments and I used to be nice down the stretch. I leaned on that and reminded myself that happening the stretch I could make a few birdies and clutch as much as get the win. I’ve carried out that immediately and I’m actually pleased with myself.”
