The North of Ireland Men’s Amateur Open Championship settled the destination of this year’s Bridgestone Men’s Order of Merit with Brian Doran (Millicent) securing the end of year crown in dramatic fashion.
A fifth-place finish at the season closing event in Royal Portrush was enough to see Doran finish top of the Bridgestone Men’s Order of Merit, capping off a brilliant second half of the year which saw the Kildare native pick up 620 points from his last four appearances.
Coming into the North, Doran found himself just 31 points off top spot which Matt McClean (Malone) had held since his Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open Championship victory in May. The chasing pack included Paul Coughlan (Castleknock), Keith Egan (Carton House) and Jake Whelan (Grange) who had all been chipping away at McClean’s lead following strong performances throughout the year.
One final chance to overtake McClean would come at Royal Portrush, with Doran and Coughlan closest to nabbing top spot and on this occasion, it was the Mullingar Scratch Cup champion who seized the opportunity.
Doran’s first three rounds of the tournament had him just inside the top-20 but a scintillating final round 69 was enough to earn a fifth-place finish, 120 ranking points, and the overall Bridgestone Order of Merit crown with 809 points.
Coughlan’s second place finish on Friday saw the Munster Men’s Stroke Play Champion take the runner-up spot with 763 points while McClean rounded off the top three on 720.
The Ballybunion Ladies Scratch cup too would provide a switch up in positions as Anna Abom (Edmonstown) overtook Aideen Walsh (Lahinch) at the summit of the Bridgestone Women’s Order of Merit recently.
Both players have traded positions at the top of the standings throughout the season and coming into the penultimate event in Kerry, Walsh held a 77-point lead over the Edmondstown golfer.
Abom though produced some fantastic golf in Ballybunion, a second-place finish giving her 125 points to claim top spot in the Bridgestone Women’s Order of Merit title by just 48 points.
Walsh, who has been in top form all season, winning a hat-trick of scratch cups along the way, is second on 1115 points.
View the Bridgestone Order of Merit rankings here