Morgan pulls off one shot win

England's John Morgan pulled off a tense one-shot victory after a closing level par 72 in the £178,000 AIB Irish Seniors Open at Mount Juliet, Kilkenny.

He held off a formidable challenge from one of the strongest European seniors assemblies with an aggregate seven under par 209.

It was his second victory in Ireland in nine months, having won the West of Ireland title last August and his eighth as a senior.

Big Scot Brian Barnes, who like Morgan, plays regularly on the US Seniors Tour, raced through the field with a back nine burst of five birdies in six holes for 72 and second place alongside Australian Noel Ratcliffe (72) on six under.

Morgan, who has won 70,000 in five tournaments in the US, said: "I have improved enormously as an all-round player while playing in America over the past three years and it has made me a much tougher competitor. There's no doubt it helped me today when things got tight out there.

"My short game held up when the pressure was on and I holed several key putts."

Former Welsh World Cup player Craig Defoy, who shared the overnight lead at seven under with Morgan, was one in front after nine holes. But the Coombe Hill professional ran into two bogeys on the way home for a 74 and fourth spot on 211.

The Irish challenge came from Christy O'Connor junior playing his first European tournament and Ulsterman Eddie Polland. Both battled to six under over the front nine before stumbling on the way home.

Polland, still looking for his first seniors title after twice losing play-offs to Brian Huggett last year, closed on 71 for a share of fifth spot with America's JR Delich (72) and South Staffs professional Jim Rhodes (70) who led the opening round on 67.

O'Connor dropped three shots in as many holes from the 13th to finish on 74 and three under 213.

Leading final-round scores

(Gbr & Irl unless stated)

209 J Morgan 70 67 72

210 B Barnes 71 69 70, N Ratcliffe (Aus) 71 67 72

211 C Defoy 68 69 74

212 JR Delich (USA) 72 68 72, E Polland 69 72 71, J Rhodes 67 75 70

213 C O'Connor jnr 68 71 74

214 R Carrasco (USA) 71 70 73, J Carr (USA) 70 74 70

215 D O'Sullivan 71 68 76, N Coles 68 70 77, B Lendzion (USA) 73 73 69, D Oakley (USA) 74 74 67

216 T Gale (Aus) 73 72 71, J Bruner (USA) 72 73 71

217 B Menne (USA) 73 72 72, J Parslow (Aus) 74 71 72, B Shearer (Aus) 73 72 72, I Stanley (Aus) 74 70 73, B Sandry 69 75 73

218 T Jacklin 77 70 71, B Gallacher 71 74 73, A Tapie (USA) 71 77 70