Galgorm Castle near Ballymena is determined to stage a Challenge Tour event in 2013.Major winners Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell are set to throw their weight behind what appears to be a successful bid to bring the Challenge Tour to Northern Ireland next season.

Steven Hackett was a birdie machine at Galgorn Castle.Cork Golf Club’s Steven Hackett moved up to 13th in the Europro Tour’s Order of Merit when he closed with a five under par 67 to finish solo third on his tour debut in the Galgorm Castle Northern Ireland Open.

Five shots behind Scotland’s Ross Cameron starting the final round, Hackett fired six birdies and just one bogey in a superb effort to finish just four shots outside a play-off for the £10,000 top prize. Scores

Barrie Trainor. Credit: www.golffile.ieBarrie Trainor blasted six birdies in his last 10 holes to surge into contention for the Europro Tour’s Galgorm Castle Northern Ireland Open.

The Warrenpoint native and Mayobridge professional fired a five under par 67 - the joint best score of the day - to move up to tied sixth with Brendan McCarroll (70) on six under.  Scores

They’re four shots behind Scotland’s Ross Cameron, who holds a two-shot lead going into the final day on 10 under par after following his opening 63 with a 71, with Cork’s Stephen Hackett (70) the next best of the Irish on five under.

The fourth at Galgorm CastleFive Irishmen share sixth place after the opening round of the £16,000 Galgorm Castle Northern Ireland Open on the PGA Europro Tour.