James Heath won the biggest event in the 2010 PGA EuroPro Tour season after triumphing in a dramatic three-way play-off.
After three rounds of the Marfin Popular Bank EuroPro Tour Championship, Heath, Kevin Harper and Lawrence Dodd were all tied on seven-under. However, Heath won the play-off at Aphrodite Hills Golf in Paphos, Cyprus to collect the €20,000 winner’s prize and also advance to next season’s Challenge Tour.
Scotland’s Craig Lee made a late surge to finish in tied fourth after being well down the leader board on the opening day. He shot a first round total of seven-over 77, followed that with a five-under 65 on Friday and produced a sensational round of eight-under 62 on Saturday.
Lee was joined in fourth place by Matt Allen and George Woolgar, who also finished on six-under for the tournament.
Gareth Shaw of Team Ireland came seventh on five-under, while Robert Steele, Gareth Davies and Scott Henry shared eighth place.
Brendan McCarroll of JFG Academie had a two-shot lead going into the final day but a final day round of five-over par ended his hopes and saw him finish in tied 11th and is joined by Tim Rice of Limerick who signed for a round of 66.
This was the final event of the season and critical as this would decide who qualified for next season’s Challenge Tour and be only one step away from joining the golfing elite on the Challenge Tour.
In previous seasons, the players who finished the campaign in the top five on the EuroPro Tour Order of Merit advanced to the Challenge Tour.
However, seven players from the 2010 EuroPro Tour will move up to the Challenge Tour. Daniel Gaunt (winner of a Challenge Tour event earlier in the year) and Craig Lee (guaranteed a place in the top 80 of the Challenge Tour money list) had already secured their spots at the higher level.
As they both finished inside the top five on the EuroPro Tour Order of Merit, that meant the men finished sixth and seventh have also advanced.
So the seven players advancing to next season’s Challenge Tour are Daniel Gaunt, Matthew Evans, James Hepworth, James Heath, Craig Lee, Nick McCarthy and Ian Keenan.
Noel Fox finished in a tie for 23rd place after a round of 71 and level par total.
Neil O’Briain finished one over after a round of 69 along with Michael Collins of FORE Ireland who also signed for a 69.
Brian McElhinney signed for a 75 to finish +8.
Paul O’Hanlon of the Curragh carded a two under par round of 68 to move up +8 overall.
EURO Pro Tour Championship
