Frank Kennedy kept his cool on the final day at GC Adamstal to secure a first win as a professional with a one-stroke victory of the Euram Bank Open as the Irish suffered a disappointing end to the week.
Dermot McElroy shot a closing one-under 69 to take leading Irishman honours, but at tied for 31st, it was an anti-climatic end to a week that had promised so much in the early stages.
McElroy traded three birdies with two bogeys – the dropped shots coming back-to-back on 12 and 13 – and will make minor headway on the Road to Mallorca rankings, as will Ronan Mullarney who suffered a disastrous start to the day with a bogey at one and a triple on four, but regained his composure and played the remaining 14 in one-under to finish a shot behind McElroy, T35 on -4.
Robert Moran, who began the day at -8 and at the head of the Irish pack, closed with a 78 to finish alongside Gary Hurley who took 76 blows to finish T55, with Daniel Mulligan also carding a 78 to finish in 65th place.
Englishman Kennedy took a two-shot lead into the final round and maintained his advantage after a level par front nine. Despite a bogey at 12, Kennedy kept his composure to par his remaining six holes to finish 13 under par, one shot clear of German Nicolai von Dellingshausen in second.
The 18-year-old, who becomes the youngest champion on the Challenge Tour since 2018, was delighted to join the winner’s circle in his first full season as a professional.
“I’m over the moon,” he said. “It was a tough day, I didn’t make anywhere near as many putts as I did the first three days, but definitely happy to come away with the win.
“I holed a nice putt for par on 16, which gave me momentum. I didn’t give myself the easiest putts on the last two holes, but I’m very happy to walk away and say I’ve holed it and won this week.”
Kennedy’s victory catapults him to 21st on the Road to Mallorca Rankings and gives him a Challenge Tour card for the rest of the season, and the Englishman is focused on continuing his good form to finish in the top 20 and secure promotion to the DP World Tour.
“[The win] gives me a full Challenge Tour card,” he said. “Hopefully I can push on for the rest of the season, finish in the top 20, and get onto the DP World Tour.
“It’s a big goal – everyone playing on the Challenge Tour is targeting that top 20 – but it’ll be the same next week. I’ll go out on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and prep for that first tee shot on Thursday.”
France’s Martin Couvra shared third place with Austrian Maximilian Steinlechner on 11 under par, one shot clear of Oliver Lindell from Finland, Norwegian Herman Sekne, and German Velten Meyer in fifth.
Couvra rises 12 places to sixth on the Road to Mallorca Rankings after his third-place finish, while Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen from Denmark remains in pole position with 1,061 points, 74 points ahead of Englishman John Parry in second.
The Road to Mallorca continues next week with the Black Desert NI Open presented by Tom McKibbin, taking place at Galgorm Castle Golf Club in Northern Ireland from July 25-28.