Maiden professional win for Stuart Grehan in Portugal
Stuart Grehan with his first big cheque
Tullamore’s Stuart Grehan notched his first win as a professional and gave his confidence a boost when he birdied three of his last six holes to clinch a one-shot win in the Palmares Classic VI on the Algarve Pro Golf Tour.
The former amateur international began the final round of the 36-hole mini-tour event three strokes behind South Africa’s Tyler Hogarty after an opening 63 at Onyria Palmares Beach & Golf Resort.
He then carded a four-under 68 to win by the minimum from England’s Max Orrin (68-67) on 10-under par.
It was a win worth €2,000 and an injection of confidence to Grehan, who birdied the third, sixth and eighth to get to nine-under, then followed bogeys at the ninth and 10th with key birdies at the 13th, 15th and 17th — the three par-fives on the back nine at the 7,125-yard venue.
Kilkenny’s Luke Donnelly, who has also recently turned professional, finished 39th on level par after rounds of 70 and 74 with Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy 54th on five-over after rounds of 76 and 73.
Palmares Classic VI, Onyria Palmares Beach & Golf Resort (Par 72)
1 Stuart Grehan IRL -10 134 66 68
2 Max Orrin ENG -9 135 68 67
3 Tyler Hogarty RSA -9 135 63 72
4 Scott Gregory ENG -8 136 67 69
5 Jamie Rutherford ENG -8 136 66 70
6 Vitor Londot Lopes POR -7 137 70 67
7 João Ramos POR -7 137 73 64
8 James Walker ENG -7 137 73 64
9 David Dixon ENG -7 137 67 70
10 Paul Kinnear ENG -7 137 66 71
39 Luke Donnelly IRL PAR 144 70 74
54 Dermot McElroy IRL +5 149 76 73
