Ireland’s Conor O’Rourke became only the second Irishman winner in capturing the prestigious St. Andrews Links Trophy at the Home of Golf.
A par at the infamous 17th Road Hole, where O’Rourke’s second shot came to rest just inches from the bitumen pathway at the back of the hole, was good enough to win the trophy by a shot with a final round victory for a one shot success at 12-under par.
O’Rourke, 24 hails from Naas near Dublin and now joins Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar (2009) as the only Irish-born winners of the event that was first staged in 1989 and has been won in the past by some now household names in golf including US Open winner, Justin Rose (1997)
Dubliner Conor O’Rourke wins 2016 St. Andrews Links Trophy. (Photo – St. Andrews Links Trust).
The young Dubliner led from the end of the second round and though not a member of the Ireland amateur international squad was thrilled with his success.
“To win is fantastic, to win my first proper tournament here is just unbelievable,” he said. “The only thing I’ve won before was a wee scratch event in Ireland. I’m just relieved I managed to keep my head together.”
And taking up the story is Steve Scott from the Dundee Courier.
The Irishman, a leader by a shot after 36 holes, had got been tied going into the final round after his morning 71 to Scotland’s Sandy Scott’s 70, but the youngster misjudged his second to the first green and found the Swilcan Burn for an immediate double bogey.
However Scott, again wearing his favoured “Duffer” woolly hat despite the summer sunshine, got one back at the fourth and made his charge around the loop with birdies the 9th and 10th, and when O’Rourke’s tee shot went over the back of the 11th, the teenager’s birdie at 12 had them tied for the final stretch.
Scott holed out for par from 15 feet at the long 14th to stay tied only for O’Rourke to hit a nine-iron to within six inches at 15. But the Irishman handed it back at the 16th by tugging his second shot way left and three-putting from 90 feet.
At the 17th O’Rourke pushed his second right, bouncing over the bank but stopping on the strip of grass between the path and the road, while Scott hit his eight-iron from a good position into the infamous trap.
O’Rourke was able to chip to three feet and make his par, while Scott escaped from the sand but saw his par putt from ten feet burn the hole on the right.
“I was just happy to see my ball on grass of some kind,” admitted O’Rourke. “It wasn’t a great lie but I was able to do something with it.”
“My second shot was maybe a bit of nerves,” said Scott about 17. “I’d played pretty well all day and come back well from my mistake at the first, but I’m happy with my performance.
“That’s most of the events this year I’ve finished in the top 10 or 15 and I feel I’m in good form. I’ll keep wearing the hat throughout the summer, I think!”
