Paul Leonard strolled his final round in a comfortable 70 strokes for a seven-shot victory in the Efteling European Trophy in Holland, then revealed he had turned back 20 years to find the key to his winning breakthrough as a senior.

The 53-year-old Northern Ireland professional finished with a 12-under-par 204 to clinch the £16,660 top prize and his first title in three years on the European Seniors Tour.

In the process he had raised a few eyebrows with an unorthodox putting method that featured his right hand gripping the shaft a few inches above the hosel.

The big Belfast-born professional employed it to devastating effect over the three days, leading from start to finish with 14 birdies and conceding only two bogeys to the tough, three-year-old course adjacent to the Efteling theme park.

Leonard's flawless second round 66 gave him a six shot cushion going into the final circuit. After he had knocked an eight iron to nine feet for an opening birdie three and stretched his lead to eight after only two holes, the chasing bunch were left with a scramble for second place. It ended with Neil Coles (69), Denis O'Sullivan (70), Liam Higgins (69) and Maurice Bembridge (71) finishing in a tie on five under par 211.

Leonard, who previously had not finished higher than tied third in the Jersey Open last year, said: "I can't believe this has happened at last. I had been playing well but my putting was a nightmare. I really had the yips. So I had to do something drastic and this week returned to a style I used 20 years ago on the European Tour.

"This time I cut a long-handled Ping putter down to 36 inches because I needed the extra head weight. It certainly worked. Whether it will last I don't know. But it was good for me this week."

It was a good weekend for the Irish all round. Cork-based O'Sullivan, a former Irish amateur champion in his rookie Seniors year, joined Leonard in a quartet sharing the first round lead on 68. He slipped to a 73 before making a late surge for the line with three closing birdies for his 70 and share of second spot.

Waterville professional Higgins and Coles also sprinted in with 69s to join Bembridge who owed his cheque largely to a second round 66. Coles also picked up the Lynx Super Seniors £500 prize for the seventh time this year.

But Senior British Open champion Brian Huggett ran up a six over par 150 after two rounds and missed his first cut as a senior.

The Welshman's consolation was a £350 cheque which made him the second senior after Tommy Horton to achieve £100,000 prize money in a season.

1 Paul LEONARD (N.Ire) 68 66 70 204 16600.00

2 Denis O'SULLIVAN (Ire) 68 73 70 211 6322.50

Maurice BEMBRIDGE (Eng) 74 66 71 211 6322.50

Neil COLES (Eng) 71 71 69 211 6322.50

Liam HIGGINS (Ire) 71 71 69 211 6322.50

6 Craig DEFOY (Wal) 70 73 69 212 3250.00

Noel RATCLIFFE (Aus) 68 72 72 212 3250.00

Snell LANCASTER (USA) 72 70 70 212 3250.00

Tommy HORTON (Eng) 68 74 70 212 3250.00

10 Jim RHODES (Eng) 69 73 71 213 2300.00

Eddie POLLAND (N.Ire) 72 68 73 213 2300.00

Arnold O'CONNOR (Ire) 70 73 70 213 2300.00

13 Tony JACKLIN (Eng) 76 69 69 214 1740.00

John FOURIE (SA) 69 71 74 214 1740.00

Michael SLATER (Eng) 72 73 69 214 1740.00

16 Bobby VERWEY (SA) 72 72 71 215 1330.00

David HUISH (Scot) 73 73 69 215 1330.00

Antonio GARRIDO (Sp) 69 74 72 215 1330.00

Gordon GRAY (Scot) 74 67 74 215 1330.00

20 Geoff PARSLOW (Aus) 75 68 73 216 1080.00

21 Jan BJÖRNSSON (Swe) 72 74 71 217 910.00

David JONES (N.Ire) 75 71 71 217 910.00

John GARNER (Eng) 74 71 72 217 910.00

Bob LENDZION (USA) 70 73 74 217 910.00

25 Norman WOOD (Scot) 74 72 72 218 800.00

26 Hugh JACKSON (N.Ire) 76 68 75 219 750.00

Barry SANDRY (Eng) 73 74 72 219 750.00

Joe MCDERMOTT (Ire) 73 74 72 219 750.00

Lloyd MONROE (USA) 75 73 71 219 750.00

30 Hugh INGGS (SA) 75 73 72 220 690.00

Glenn MACDONALD (Can) 76 69 75 220 690.00

Kenneth MAGNUSSON (Swe) 74 72 74 220 690.00

33 Tom O'MAHONEY (Hol) 74 75 72 221 660.00

Brian WAITES (Eng) 73 75 73 221 660.00

Iain CLARK (Scot) 73 74 74 221 660.00

36 Andrew BROOKS (Scot) 76 73 73 222 640.00

37 Harry FLATMAN (Eng) 70 79 74 223 610.00

Robby RICHARDS (Eng) 76 73 74 223 610.00

John HUDSON (Eng) 73 75 75 223 610.00

Gordon PARKHILL (N.Ire) 76 73 74 223 610.00

Tienie BRITZ (SA) 72 76 75 223 610.00

42 Jan DORRESTEIN (Hol) 75 73 76 224 570.00

TR JONES (USA) 78 71 75 224 570.00

Ian RICHARDSON (Eng) 76 73 75 224 570.00

45 Michael MURPHY (Ire) 77 71 77 225 540.00

Alex LOESBERG (Hol) 74 71 80 225 540.00

Peter TOWNSEND (Eng) 78 71 76 225 540.00

48 Skip PRATT (USA) 72 75 79 226 520.00

49 Chick EVANS (USA) 73 76 78 227 505.00

Bill HARDWICK (Can) 72 76 79 227 505.00

51 Geoffrey KING (Eng) 76 72 81 229 350.00

52 Javier VILADOMIU (Sp) 74 75 84 233 350.00

53 Kenny STEVENSON (N.Ire) 74 76 150 350.00

Fred WHITFIELD (Eng) 75 75 150 350.00

Brian HUGGETT (Wal) 78 72 150 350.00

Malcolm GREGSON (Eng) 75 75 150 350.00

57 David CREAMER (Eng) 76 75 151 325.00

Bryan CARTER (Eng) 78 73 151 325.00

59 Steve WILD (Eng) 75 77 152 300.00

Roger FIDLER (Eng) 76 76 152 300.00

61 Alberto CROCE (It) 76 77 153 300.00

Tommy HALPIN (Ire) 79 74 153 300.00

Dr Arthur SPRING (Ire) 76 77 153 300.00

64 David VAUGHAN (Wal) 77 78 155 275.00

Adam WHISTON (Ire) 77 78 155 275.00

66 Terry SQUIRES (Eng) 76 80 156 250.00

Sooky MAHARAJ (T&T) 74 82 156 250.00

Don MCCART (Scot) 80 76 156 250.00

69 Sid DENHAM (Eng) 78 79 157 250.00

70 Henk KUIJSTERS (Hol) 80 78 158 250.00

71 Bob JASTREMSKI (Hol) 79 80 159 250.00

72 Wim DORRESTEIN (Hol) 85 91 176 250.00

PGA EUROPEAN SENIORS ORDER OF MERIT

1 Tommy HORTON (Eng) 113996.17 (15)

2 Brian HUGGETT (Wal) 100032.95 (10)

3 Eddie POLLAND (N.Ire) 78506.95 (16)

4 David JONES (N.Ire) 64394.50 (14)

5 Noel RATCLIFFE (Aus) 61294.76 (16)

6 Bobby VERWEY (SA) 58369.73 (15)

7 Jim RHODES (Eng) 58308.74 (16)

8 Neil COLES (Eng) 53789.61 (11)

9 Antonio GARRIDO (Sp) 48054.76 (15)

10 Maurice BEMBRIDGE (Eng) 46858.26 (16)

• 11 Bob LENDZION (USA) 44493.71 (13)

• 12 Denis O'SULLIVAN (Ire) 42721.85 (13)

13 Terry GALE (Aus) 41595.05 (11)

14 Paul LEONARD (N. Ire) 40386.97 (16)

15 Renato CAMPAGNOLI (It) 39724.01 (13)

16 Bill HARDWICK (Can) 39304.59 (16)

17 David HUISH (Scot) 37766.69 (11)

18 Bill BRASK (USA) 36187.76 (9)

19 Brian WAITES (Eng) 35824.54 (16)

20 David CREAMER (Eng) 34840.85 (16)

21 Malcolm GREGSON (Eng) 34823.13 (15)

• 22 Joe MCDERMOTT (Ire) 34789.79 (15)

23 John FOURIE (SA) 32914.79 (16)

• 24 Barry SANDRY (Eng) 31418.14 (15)

25 Norman WOOD (Scot) 30128.75 (16)

• 26 Michael SLATER (Eng) 27941.04 (16)

27 John GARNER (Eng) 27404.62 (15)

28 Bob SHEARER (Aus) 26014.39 (11)

29 John MORGAN (Eng) 25906.97 (4)

30 David OAKLEY (USA) 24975.18 (11)

31 Liam HIGGINS (Ire) 24450.64 (15)

32 Brian BARNES (Scot) 24441.69 (3)

33 Ian RICHARDSON (Eng) 24264.03 (16)

34 Alberto CROCE (It) 21662.06 (14)

35 Tony JACKLIN (Eng) 21306.28 (9)

36 Craig DEFOY (Wal) 19739.74 (13)

37 J.R. DELICH (USA) 18410.96 (15)

38 Hugh INGGS (SA) 17293.99 (16)

39 Snell LANCASTER (USA) 16745.31 (14)

40 Doug DALZIEL (USA) 16714.38 (13)

41 Peter TOWNSEND (Eng) 16318.59 (15)

• 42 Jay DOLAN III (USA) 16228.53 (15)

43 Arnold O'CONNOR (Ire) 14539.14 (14)

44 Iain CLARK (Scot) 14363.33 (6)

• 45 Geoff PARSLOW (Aus) 14157.36 (16)

• 46 Jos‚ CABO (Sp) 14049.18 (9)

47 Bob MENNE (USA) 13352.09 (14)

48 Gordon PARKHILL (N.Ire) 12734.14 (14)

49 Christy O'CONNOR JNR (Ire) 10097.50 (2)

50 Bob CHARLES (NZ) 9700.00 (1)

51 Joe CARR (USA) 9635.00 (9)

52 John HUDSON (Eng) 9570.17 (15)

53 Gary PLAYER (SA) 9291.43 (2)

54 TR JONES (USA) 8806.56 (14)

55 Guy HUNT (Eng) 8734.50 (11)

56 Tienie BRITZ (SA) 8280.49 (15)

57 Steve WILD (Eng) 8208.35 (16)

58 Chick EVANS (USA) 7759.82 (15)

59 David SNELL (Eng) 7381.50 (10)

60 Jan BJ™RNSSON (Swe) 7360.94 (15)

61 Bernard HUNT (Eng) 7177.50 (5)

62 DeRay SIMON (USA) 7029.17 (14)

63 Agim BARDHA (USA) 7015.17 (5)

64 Harry FLATMAN (Eng) 6596.62 (14)

65 Lloyd MONROE (USA) 6555.12 (14)

66 Don MCCART (Scot) 6216.92 (12)

• 67 Bill LOCKIE (Scot) 5928.10 (6)

68 Graham BURROUGHS (Eng) 5926.79 (8)

69 Roger STERN (USA) 5489.85 (7)

70 Roger FIDLER (Eng) 5442.50 (12)

71 Kenny STEVENSON (N.Ire) 5244.69 (12)

• 72 Andrew BROOKS (Scot) 5157.92 (10)

73 Stewart ADWICK (Eng) 4741.71 (10)

• 74 Dr Arthur SPRING (Ire) 4620.36 (13)

75 Bryan CARTER (Eng) 4460.00 (12)

76 Michael MURPHY (Ire) 3663.06 (16)

77 Hiro TAHARA (Jpn) 3535.84 (8)

78 Glenn MACDONALD (Can) 3487.62 (11)

• 79 Francisco ABREU (Sp) 3382.00 (6)

80 Terry KENDALL (NZ) 3375.00 (6)

• 81 Javier VILADOMIU (Sp) 3326.00 (9)

82 Peter BUTLER (Eng) 3173.64 (6)

• 83 Gordon GRAY (Scot) 3157.62 (10)

84 Randall VINES (Aus) 3080.00 (9)

• 85 Jan DORRESTEIN (Hol) 3034.00 (11)

86 Christy O'CONNOR (Ire) 2946.70 (3)

87 Jose Maria ROCA (Sp) 2915.25 (3)

88 Frank HILL (Eng) 2852.67 (2)

89 Roberto BERNARDINI (It) 2850.00 (7)

90 Hugh JACKSON (N.Ire) 2685.52 (12)

91 Hugh BOYLE (Ire) 2535.00 (4)

92 Tom O'MAHONEY (Hol) 2255.00 (3)

93 Gerolamo DELFINO (It) 2210.00 (3)

94 Tommy HALPIN (Ire) 2132.54 (12)

95 Kenneth MAGNUSSON (Swe) 2130.00 (7)

96 Skip PRATT (USA) 2082.62 (6)

• 97 Ossie GARTENMAIER (Aut) 1895.25 (5)

98 David TALBOT (Eng) 1800.00 (3)

99 Matt MCCRORIE (Scot) 1512.62 (6)

• 100 Alan HALL (Eng) 1462.06 (7)

101 Hedley MUSCROFT (Eng) 1245.39 (11)

102 Sid DENHAM (Eng) 1182.86 (11)

103 Sooky MAHARAJ (T&T) 1152.85 (8)

104 John LISTER (NZ) 1132.50 (3)

105 Geoffrey KING (Eng) 988.02 (6)

• 106 Mike HOYLE (Eng) 935.00 (8)

107 Peter CHAMBERLAIN (Eng) 918.00 (2)

108 Adam WHISTON (Ire) 863.02 (4)

109 Jose Luis MANGAS (Sp) 780.00 (1)

110 Giuseppe PARISI (Ita) 700.00 (1)

111 David VAUGHAN (Wal) 689.26 (5)

• 112 Bobby GRAY (USA) 670.00 (2)

113 Michael HOOPER (Eng) 660.00 (2)

Sherwood STEWART (USA) 660.00 (2)

115 Fred WHITFIELD (Eng) 550.00 (6)

116 Gerry EGAN (Ire) 526.45 (4)

117 Tony COVENEY (Ire) 470.36 (3)

118 Rafe BOTTS (USA) 338.02 (6)

119 Norman DREW (N.Ire) 302.06 (2)

Howell FRASER (USA) 302.06 (1)

121 George WILL (Scot) 300.00 (3)

Siegfried VOLLRATH (Ger) 300.00 (1)

123 Ross WHITEHEAD (Eng) 275.00 (7)

124 Salim MWANYENZA (Tan) 250.00 (1)

Bernard PASCASSIO (Fr) 250.00 (3)

Robert WEBSTER (Scot) 250.00 (3)

Terry SQUIRES (Eng) 250.00 (7)

German GARRIDO (Sp) 250.00 (1)

129 Jerry ADAMS (USA) 200.00 (2)

Gunnar MUELLER (Swe) 200.00 (2)

Rodger SUTHERLAND (Scot) 200.00 (3)

• Derek CRAIK (Scot) 200.00 (6)