With the 100th Irish PGA Championship only a few week’s away at Seapoint Golf Club, Des Smyth started his preparation well with a two stroke victory at the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters recording a historic win after signing for a final round 69.
In blustery conditions on the Duke's Course at Woburn, Smyth, recorded a win for the first time in three years with the overnight leader, Carl Mason of England, carding a double bogey on the fourteenth and then a bogey on the eighteenth to finish on a two over par 74 – and two shots behind Smyth.
Mason had looked well in control and on his way to a 24th record breaking title through nine holes extending his lead to three over Smyth. But a disastrous four-putt double-bogey on the par five 14th and Des Smyth’s birdie turned things dramatically.
Smyth took advantage and although he bogeyed sixteen to set up a tense finish, he sevured his victory on the 18th with a birdie.
He said: “I felt like Seve today as he was the best at making it happen and it was one of those rounds where it did happen today. I putted much better this week having changed my putting style slightly and I could see the lines much better and that gave me the confidence to hit the putts.
“It was fantastic to win in front of these crowds and it is my fifth decade of winning, from the 70’s to now and that was a goal of mine. I am really pleased to have got that.”
Smyth won his first professional title in 1979 when he won the Sun Alliance Match Play Championship, winning every decade since and still holds the record as the oldest winner on The European Tour.
Mason will hope that there will be plenty more opportunities to break the record he holds with Tommy Horton;
He said: “Four putts on the 14th was not good. That made me unsteady on the greens unfortunately. I had some good chances out there, a couple of horseshoes but pleased with the way I played. It is a tough course and under pressure it is real tough, doesn’t get any tougher.
In a share of third place with Argentine Adan Sowa, was England’s Gary Wolstenholme on his Senior Tour debut who picked up the biggest check of his life having been a career amateur for so many years.
“I’m delighted to have done so well this week,” said England’s most capped amateur, now a professional. “My goal at the start was to finish top ten so I could get into Casa Serena in two weeks, and I’ve done that.”
It was a tough day for the other big names on the leader board, with particularly disappointing rounds from David J Russell (76), Bill Longmuir (79) and Ian Woosnam (75).
The popular Welshman gave his many followers little to cheer about in the final round with three doubles alongside three bogeys – although the biggest cheer of the day may have come when he pulled his driver out on 18 to have a pop at the green and close with a birdie three.
Jimmy Heggarty finished on four over after a final round 78.
Denis O’Sullivan signed for 77 to finish 8 over.
Eamonn Darcy ended on 12 over par after a final round 81.
Eddie Polland signed for a 78 to finish on +19.