Quiros pips Smyth to Title

Spain’s Juan Quiros produced a stunning approach shot on the 18th hole to pip home favourite Des Smyth by a single stroke in a titanic battle at the Irish Seniors Open in association with Failte Ireland and Allied Irish Bank. Quiros and Smyth headed to the final green locked on level par after a fascinating seesaw battle in adverse conditions at Ballyliffin Golf Club, but it was Quiros, rather than the man from Drogheda, who produced a moment of magic to clinch the title.The 52 year old pitched his third shot from 132 yards to within 18 inches of the last hole with a wedge and then made the birdie putt to edge past Smyth. Quiros punched the air with delight as the ball sank for his third European Seniors Tour win, to add to his previous victories at the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open in 2006 and the Open De France Senior de Divonne last year. It meant Irishman Smyth, who had started the day one stroke ahead of Quiros, was denied a popular home win, just as Ian Woosnam was by Peter Mitchell a week ago in Wales. For Quiros, however, the victory continued his sequence of winning in each of his three years on the Seniors Tour and moves him up to fourth in the Order of Merit. The spectators who had braved the driving rain in Co. Donegal were treated to some finger-biting golf as Smyth open up a three shot lead early on only to see it clawed back by Quiros, following the Irishman’s double bogey on the 13th.
Both players were battered by the conditions on the course, with no player teeing off after 8.45am carding an under par score today, but Quiros managed to steady himself when it mattered to go one better than his tied second behind Costantino Rocca at last year’s tournament. Quiros admitted he had never played in conditions quite like those affecting the links course today. However he vowed to stay on a little bit longer in the clubhouse to toast his win and watch his beloved Spain take on Italy in Euro 2008 with Italian Giuseppe Cali, who was one of six players tied for third on three over par. He said: “The course was okay this morning but an hour before I started the conditions changed, the wind was coming in from the beach and it was unbelievable. I can’t remember the last time I played in conditions like that. But that’s golf and you have to play. The greens were perfect and the course was in perfect condition. “In my first year on the Seniors Tour I won in Switzerland at Bad Ragaz. Then last year I won in France. And now I win here. It is one win every year so far. I am a lucky man.” “Everyone knows Des Smyth. He is a great person and a great player. It was beautiful to be on the course with a professional like Des. I played with his brother Val on the first day and he is another very nice person. “Des took a lead of a few shots at one point but mentally you tell yourself that there are still a lot of holes to play and you tell yourself, okay, let’s see what we can do. “Then he had bad luck on the 13th hole and made a six. But it was the same for me on the 14th. “To celebrate, I hope Spain beat Italy tonight. I will stay here and drive to Dublin. And then tomorrow morning I will fly to Malaga. After that I will go to America for the US Senior Open.” Smyth was naturally disappointed not to become the first home winner in 10 years since Joe McDermott in 1998 but he praised Quiros for his winning shot on the 18th. He said: “It was a great shot there. I’m disappointed not to win but I’ve had a great week. I was going well and played great early on but the wind and rain came and I found it hard. I found it hard to swing out there.” Meanwhile Wales’ Ian Woosnam, who had been battling all week with a troublesome hip injury, carded a 74 to finish in tied ninth place on four over par – five shots behind the winner – to leapfrog German Bernhard Langer at the top of the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit. He said: “It’s great to move to the top of the Order of Merit. I’m going to play a few more tournaments later on in the season. I’ve got a week off now then I’m going to Russia and then the Senior Open Championship.”