O’Briain triumphs at Sutton

Neil O’Briain rounded off his PGA in Ireland campaign in style with a playoff victory over Michael McGeady in the final of the Annesley Williams Skoda Nine-Hole Matchplay in Sutton.

Blustery and drizzly conditions did little to deter the quality of the decider with O’Briain holing from eight feet for a winning birdie on the tenth after hitting a neat approach shot from 100 yards.

A match that was played in such great spirit and quality ended in unfortunate circumstances as McGeady saw a four-footer to extend the match, stay out, meaning O’Briain claimed the last event on the region for 2023.

O'Briain said: "It was a grind out there for the final against Michael, it was very tricky out there, the wind was up and the rain was coming in and out as well so I was trying to keep the ball in play and take advantage when I got the opportunities which was the key I stuck to what I needed to do and it was a good match to be fair it would have been good to watch. Delighted to get over the line and I'm very happy.”

The McGuirks Golf player got the better of Paul Eivers and Richard Kilpatrick earlier on Sunday morning to set up a decider with McGeady who saw off Damien McGrane and Nicky Grant.

Both players halved the first four holes in pars before O'Briain struck a dart to seven feet on the par-3 5th to set up a winning birdie and it was a lead he was determined to protect with a handful of clutch up and downs.

The Dubliner passed up an opportunity to win the title on the eighth hole and he was dealt a sucker punch as McGeady came up clutch with a birdie on the ninth to force extra holes.

Both players found the fairway and hit good approach shots into the green and the advantage seemed to have switched to the Derry man who had three feet for birdie. O'Briain, rolled in his eight footer for birdie, expecting McGeady to hole out but he was relieved to see his opponent miss and grant him the title.

"I held a few putts I thought I hit a lovely shot into the sixth but it came up short in the bunker and I hit the shot to seven or eight feet and knocked it in and did the same on the following hole. I hit a reasonably acceptable second shot and chipped it to decent range and knocked it in. Hit good putts for birdies on 8 and 9 that just missed and it was exciting with Michael making the putt on the last to go up the first extra hole but it was very tidy on the greens today.

"Michael hit a great shot into the first to follow me in even closer so I hit a really solid putt that went in and Michael had a tricky right to left putt that unfortunately for him he just missed it. It was unfortunate for the match to end that way but it's all done and dusted now."

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