Thomas Abom pulls off dramatic victory at Irish Amateur Close Championship
8/18/2024 | by Amit Pandey of AmateurGolf.com
see also: View results for Irish Amateur Close, Westport Golf Club
Abom defeated former hockey star Richard Sykes on the second playoff with a short birdie putt after a close approach shot
Thomas Abom from Dublin claimed the Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship at Dun Laoghaire after a thrilling playoff victory over former hockey star Richard Sykes. Abom, who began the final day tied for second and four strokes behind the 36-hole leader Sean Keeling, shot a third-round 71 to take the solo lead at 6-under, with Sykes trailing by one stroke.
Keeling, who held the lead at 9-under after 36 holes, faltered with a third-round 79, while Abom’s consistent play positioned him at the top heading into the final round. Abom posted a final-round 72, which, combined with Sykes’ 71, left both players tied for the lead, forcing a playoff.
Abom is ranked No. 912 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings.
On the first playoff hole, Abom narrowly missed a 20-foot birdie putt, resulting in a par and extending the match. However, on the second extra hole, he delivered a clutch performance, hitting a precise 9-iron from 146 yards to within three feet of the hole and sinking the birdie putt to secure the championship.
Sykes finished as the runner-up with rounds of 68-73-70-71, for a total score of 6-under. The 2022 edition champion and runner-up in the previous edition, Quentin Carew, recorded rounds of 71-74-74-73, finishing tied for 14th.
Results: Irish Amateur Close
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | , Ireland | 400 | 66-73-71-72=282 | |
| 2 | , Ireland | 300 | 68-73-70-71=282 | |
| 3 | , Ireland | 200 | 70-71-75-69=285 | |
| 4 | , Ireland | 200 | 75-73-73-66=287 | |
| T4 | , Ireland | 200 | 66-69-79-73=287 |
About the Irish Amateur Close
The tournament is open to all Clubs affiliated to the Golfing Union of Ireland. Format is 64-player match play, preceded by a 36-hole stroke play qualifier.
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