IRISH EYES SMILING AGAIN AS

ARTHUR WINS BRITISH SENIOR

AMATEUR TITLE PLAY-OFF

Arthur Pierse from Tipperary completed a great double for Ireland in the early evening at Nairn Golf Club.
Only a week or two after his “very good friend” Padraig Harrington won the Open at Carnoustie, the 56-year-old Pierse (pictured left) became the first Irishman to win the British senior men’s open amateur championship.
And there was just as much late drama in Arthur’s win as there was for Padraig.
After some confusion over his and playing partner Canadian Graham Cook’s scorecards, the two were found to have tied over the regulation 54 holes at five-under-par 211.
Pierse, starting the day two shots clear of Cook and Spaniard Miguel Preysler at six-under-par 138, had a closing 73 and Cook a 71 to match the Irishman’s 211 total.
The sudden-death play-off lasted the best part of 45min and did not end until the third extra hole – the first hole second time round – when Pierse outdrove his opponent with a drive of some 280yd, about 50 to 60 yards longer than the Canadian’s.
Cooke went through the back of the green, just off the fringe, with a long iron at this par-4 holes. Pierse left his wedge approach some 20ft short of the stick.
Cook used his putter but misjudged the pace and hit his ball 15ft past the hole in 3. Pierse lagged his putt up to 2ft and when Cook missed his putt for a par 4, the Irishman gently rolled his putt in for a title-winning par 4.
“I’m thrilled to bits. I’ve won a lot of things in my career – including a Walker Cup honour and I played in the Eisenhower Trophy GB&I team as well. But, at the moment, this is my greatest win,” said the Tipperary garage owner.
“And I also very pleased that my 15-year-old daughter Jill caddied for me for the first time in this tournament and she was able to share all the emotions.”
Pierse had been three strokes clear of Cook with two holes to play in the regulation third round. But he tugged his second into a bush, had to take a penalty drop for an unplayable lie and finished up with a double bogey 6.
Suddenly, Cook was only one shot behind and he holed a 12ft putt for a birdie at the par-5 last while Pierse could only manage a 5.
Cook, who, according to the reference books, is "a legend of Canadian amateur golf," is 60 years old and comes from Hudson, a small town in the Montreal metropolitan area.
"I have no complaints at all. Arthur Pierse is a worthy champion. The high standard of senior amateur golf never ceases to amaze me. I came over here to Scotland and played, even though I say so myself, very well - and it got me into a play-off. I lost but I've enjoyed the championship, I've enjoyed the course and meeting all the other guys," said Cook.
Miguel Preysler from Malaga, last year’s European senior amateur champion, finished a close third on 212, only one shot outside being in the play-off – then he paid tribue to his caddie and long-time friend, Gillian Stewart, the former Curtis Cup player and Ladies European Tour player who is now a golf coach based in Inverness.
“Gillian sorted out my putting for me, she sorted out my short game for me – she is a brilliant coach. I am going to tell Sergio Garcia about Gillian.
“I putted like a dream thanks to Gillian, including one for a birdie at the last which kept hopes alive of being in a play-off right until the last.”
Chris Reynolds (Littlestone) was only two shots behind Pierse and Cook after a 71 for fourth place on 213.
“I got to five under par for the tournament and was only one shot behind Pierse until I took four putts on the 14th green for a double bogey 5,” said Chris ruefully.
Defending champion American Paul Simson finished fifth on 215 after a closing round of two-under-par 70. His middle round of 77 was so costly in the final analysis.
The leading performance by an over-65 player was shared by three – Ian Hutcheon (Monifieth), David Lane (Goring & Streatley) and Joel Hirsh (United States), all on 223.
The top Scot was Gordon Brown from Vale of Leven. Gordon, who turned pro when he was 50 to play on the European Seniors Tour for a spell, was reinstated in 2005. He had a brilliant last round of 67 – the only sub-70 score in the final day – to tied for seventh place on 218.
“I struggled for a 76 and 75 through the first two rounds but everything fell into place beautifully today. I never looked like having a single bogey,” said Gordon.
Next best in the Scottish hit parade was Nairn member Patrick Tomisson in joint 11th place with three rounds of 73 for three-over 219.
John Fraser, one of two Royal Burgess players in the top 30, shared 13th place on 220 with a final round of 74.