A birdie-birdie finish gave Des Smyth of Ireland a two stroke victory over Scotland’s John Chillas at the season-ending Arcapita Seniors Tour Championship at Riffa Golf Club in Bahrain, a tournament which saw Sam Torrance clinch the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit.
“It feels awesome to be Number One. It is something I have wanted all my life and I am very proud of it.
“It has been a great season and I have had three memorable wins. I gave up playing in America last year to commit to the European Seniors Tour and it has proved fruitful.” said a delighted Torrance, after topping the Order of Merit with earnings of €277,420.76 (£187,379.08).
Smyth and Torrance received their respective trophies from Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, the second son of His Majesty Shaikh Hamed bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the King of Bahrain.
England’s Carl Mason, who finished way down the field on nine over par, was second with €257,113.63 (£173,679.66) and Smyth was third with €229,514.73 (£155,036.67).
In finishing above Mason, his only rival for the Order of Merit title, Torrance wrote Scotland’s name into the golfing history books as the first nation to provide all the winners of the three European tours in the same season. Up-and-coming East Kilbride golfer Marc Warren won the 2005 Challenge Tour and more recently Colin Montgomerie captured his eighth Order of Merit on The European Tour.
Torrance closed with a six under par 66 for a share of third place on seven under par 209 with England’s Gordon J Brand and Italian Giuseppe Cali.
Defending champion Chillas rallied from back-to-back bogeys to birdie the last for a round of 67 that left him leading the tournament at eight under, but the Aberdonian was denied victory by Smyth, who picked up shots at the closing two holes for a round of 70 and a winning total of ten under par 206.
After a perfect drive down the middle of the fairway at the par five last hole, Smyth sent his five iron approach over the water and on to the bottom tier of the green.
From there he only had to make sure his first putt got over the ridge, leaving him two for victory. In the event he only needed one, finishing with a birdie and a two stroke cushion.
Smyth said: “Everyone was saying beforehand that I would win easily as I had a three shot lead overnight, but it didn’t turn out that way. I felt like I was playing with my handbrake on and couldn’t release it.
“Funnily, when I went a shot behind at the 11th it seemed to focus my mind more. I knew I had to start going for my shots or I wouldn’t win the tournament and it worked out quite well.”
“I have had two wins in America this year and this one, my first on the European Seniors Tour, is very important to me. It was important to get off to a win in Europe before too long and I am really happy about that.
“This has been a massive year, what with my successes on the golf course and my recent heart surgery, and next year is going to massive as well as I have been made Vice-Captain of the European Ryder Cup Team at The K Club in Ireland.”
For Chillas, his second place finish was enough to move him up five places to seventh on the final Order of Merit standings with earnings of £115,596.40 (€171,127.74).
“I have no complaints about today. It hasn’t been the greatest season for me but it is nice to finish with a second place,” said Chillas. "I haven't played well since the middle of the summer and this represents a big step forward for me, only four weeks into making a change in my swing."
For Mason, who is to have an epidural injection into his damaged back on Wednesday, there was disappointment at not only managing to secure a third John Jacobs Trophy in a row, but also the manner of his performance.
He said: “I never really got into it for some reason. Nothing went right for me this week. It started with my caddie not turning up and I think that set the mood for me. Then the par three sixth hole (when he took eight in the first round) put the nail in the coffin really and that was it. I am just disappointed I didn’t put in a good performance.
“On the bright side, to finish second in the Order of Merit is not bad considering I missed five events with my back. I feel I haven’t played as good as I usually do and I think that is to do with losing the momentum and rhythm of playing. When I did come back after my injury I don’t think I have swung the club anything like I can do.”
England’s Tommy Horton, who had rounds of 73 72 73 for a two over par total of 218, picked up the Hardys Super Seniors Prize to cap a weekend when he and his wife Helen celebrated their wedding anniversary.
The winner of the Hardys Super Seniors prize for the season went to Australian Noel Ratcliffe ahead of American David Oakley in second and John Morgan of England in third.
