Impressive Hume denied in Lytham playoff

Rathsallagh’s Jack Hume came up just short despite a brilliant final day in the Lytham Trophy. Picture Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ieRathsallagh’s Jack Hume fell to Finland’s Albert Eckhardt at the final hole of a three-hole aggregate play-off for the Lytham Trophy at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The talented 19-year old, winner of all four Boys Provincial titles in 2010, was seven strokes behind leader Nathan Kimsey at halfway but fired three birdies and three bogeys in a third round 70 to scorch up the leaderboard.

In the afternoon he was even more impressive, carding a best-of-the-day, two under 68 to set the clubhouse target at seven over par 287.

It was one of just two sub-round round carded on the final day - Eckhardt shot 69 in the morning - and it was a thing of pure beauty.

Out in 32 after birdies at the third and par-five seventh, he made a birdie two at the 196-yard 12th before dropping his only shot of the afternoon at the 15th.

Eckhardt was seven over for the tournament with three holes to play but bravely parred his way home for a 73 to force a three-hole aggregate play-off.

The first two holes were shared in par before Eckhardt clinched a one-shot win when Hume lipped out for par at the last.

Eckhardt, the world No 430, became the first Finn to win one of the most presitgious titles in European amateur golf.

Hume was 700th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking but a huge leap of 327 place to world No 373.

France’s Julien Marot and Kristian Johannessen of Norway finished in third place, four shots out of the playoff while Mourne’s Reeve Whitson gave his hopes of a Walker Cup cap a boost when he finished fifth after rounds of 75, 72, 72 and 73.

It was a good week all round for the Irish contingent and while Lucan’s Richard O’Donovan will rue his third round 80, he rallied to close with a 72 and claim 13th spot.

Lytham Trophy, Royal Lytham & St Annes (Par 70)

1st Albert Eckhardt Finland 73 72 69 73 287 (won following three-hole agg playoff) +7

2nd Jack Hume Rathsallagh Golf Club 72 77 70 68 287 +7

3rd Julien Marot France 75 74 70 72 291 +11

3rd Kristian Johannessen Norway 70 74 73 74 291 +11

5th Reeve Whitson Mourne 75 72 72 73 292 +12

6th Paul Kinnear Formby Golf Club 72 72 76 73 293 +13

6th Nathan Kimsey Woodhall Spa Golf Club 68 74 77 74 293 +13

8th Jack Hiluta Chelmsford Golf Club 76 71 74 73 294 +14

8th Toby Tree Worthing Golf Club 75 72 72 75 294 +14

8th Graeme Robertson Glenbervie Golf Club 77 69 72 76 294 +14

11th Paul Howard Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club 69 78 71 77 295 +15

12th Maximilian Roehrig Germany 76 72 76 72 296 +16

13th Richard O’Donovan Lucan 75 70 80 72 297 +17

13th Martin Keskari Germany 78 73 72 74 297 +17

13th Neil Raymond Corhampton Golf Club 70 77 76 74 297 +17

13th Alfie Plant Rochester & Cobham Park Golf Club 72 72 77 76 297 +17

13th Ashton Turner Kenwick Park Golf Club 73 73 74 77 297 +17

18th G R Porteous Bamburgh Castle Golf Club 76 72 77 73 298 +18

18th Nick Marsh Huddersfield Golf Club 75 76 74 73 298 +18

18th Ewan Scott New Golf Club St Andrews 72 77 75 74 298 +18

21st Sam Whitaker Blankney Golf Club 76 75 78 70 299 +19

21st Craig Hinton Oxfordshire (The) Golf Club 75 74 78 72 299 +19

21st James Ross Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh  76 74 75 74 299 +19

24th Dermot McElroy Ballymena Golf Club 75 73 76 76 300 +20

24th Michael Smyth Royal Troon Golf Club - Old Course 72 73 79 76 300 +20

24th Steve McGlynn Preston Golf Club 78 73 73 76 300 +20

24th Ben Loughrey Wrag Barn Golf & Country Club 74 73 76 77 300 +20

28th Adam Strom Sweden 76 75 73 77 301 +21

28th Rory McNamara Headfort Golf Club 80 70 74 77 301 +21

28th Jerome Titlow Knole Park Golf Club 74 73 75 79 301 +21

28th Jordan Smith Bowood Golf & Country Club 74 74 72 81 301 +21

32nd Alexander Matlari Germany 78 72 77 75 302 +22

33rd Mark Young Longridge Golf Club 78 71 81 73 303 +23

33rd Simon Christensen Denmark 74 77 76 76 303 +23

33rd Scott Borrowman Dollar Golf Club 77 74 76 76 303 +23

33rd Ashley Chesters Hawkstone Park Golf Club 76 73 77 77 303 +23

33rd Harry Diamond Belvoir Park Golf Club 74 76 76 77 303 +23

33rd Thomas Elissalde France 81 69 76 77 303 +23

33rd Cormac Sharvin Ardglass Golf Club 75 75 74 79 303 +23

33rd Mathias Eggenberger Switzerland 74 77 73 79 303 +23

41st Daniel Wasteney Lindrick Golf Club 74 75 79 76 304 +24

42nd Sam Love USA 76 74 72 83 305 +25

43rd Vitek Novak Czech Republic 77 74 78 77 306 +26

44th Jack Bartlett Worthing Golf Club 77 72 76 82 307 +27

45th Brian Casey Headfort Golf Club 76 72 78 82 308 +28

46th Gary Hurley West Waterford Golf Club 76 73 81 79 309 +29

46th Paul Lockwood Hessle Golf Club 78 72 76 83 309 +29

48th Robbie Van West Prise d Eau Golf Club 74 75 85 77 311 +31

48th Paul Moultrie Royal Troon Golf Club - Old Course 77 74 79 81 311 +31