McCormack’s brave effort falters at the final hurdle

Date Published: {J}

Declan Tierney

THE dream of winning the first amateur championship of the year ended in agony for Galway’s Eddie McCormack when he failed at the final hurdle of the West of Ireland after a brave effort.

McCormack was a 50-1 outsider with the bookies even when he qualified comfortably after two rounds of strokeplay on Saturday, but he battled all the way to the final in blustery conditions and came agonisingly close to emulating the success of Joe Lyons in 2007.

Having come through four rounds of matchplay on Sunday and Monday, he qualified for the semi-finals of the event and came up against Michael Sinclare from Knock.

McCormack, a member of two All-Ireland winning Senior Cup teams for Galway Golf Club, was one down for much of the front nine and went two down after 11.

But he followed that up with three straight birdies to go one up and then won the 16th as he closed the match out on the following hole.

In the final against Rory Leonard from Banbridge, he actually went one up after three but a three putt bogey at the next left the match all square.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.