Ronaldo an inspiration for Figueiredo

By Brian Keogh

Connor Doran wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Portuguese teenager Pedro Figueiredo cruise to an impressive seven-shot victory in the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

Four years ago, the Banbridge man lost to the then 12-year old Lisbon native in a panel session on the Algarve and never lived it down.

“I was 21 and Pedro was 12 and he beat me 3 and 2 at Vila Sol,” said Doran, who had to settle for a share of second place with Scotland’s Keir McNicholl and England’s Billy Hemstock on three-under par after a disappointing final round 73.

“The other Irish lads called me the Milky Bar Kid for weeks afterwards. Pedro has always been a class player. He’s played loads of Portuguese Opens and he fully deserved to win today. He was unbeatable this week”

The 16-year-old Portuguese wonder kid was tied for the 36-hole lead with England’s Mark Thistleton, holing out with a seven-iron from 154-yards for an eagle two at the eighth en route to a course record 67 on Saturday.

But he moved two strokes clear of Doran when he fired seven birdies in a third round 70 and then cruised to victory after racking up six birdies in a final round 68 to finish on 10-under and rack up his second major amateur title of the season.

In February, he clinched his first major international win with a two-shot victory in the Portuguese Amateur Open before retaining last month’s Portuguese National championship with nine shots to spare.

And he was doubly happy with his victory yesterday after hearing that his idol and countryman Ronaldo had scored in Manchester United’s Premiership-clinching victory at Wigan.

“I was on the course when I heard that Ronaldo had scored and that Man U had won the league,” Figueiredo said afterwards. “I was very happy with that because I am a big football fan.

“I’ve not met Ronaldo but he is one of the best footballers in the world and my ambition is to be one of the best golfer’s in the world and I will work very hard to try and make that happen.”

Nine players were within five strokes of his lead entering the final round with Doran his nearest rival, just two strokes off the pace, in his bid for his first major amateur title after a third round 70.

But Figueiredo showed his class to move five strokes clear of Doran and Scotland’s Paul O’Hara with nine to play as he cruised to the turn in one-under par 34 before picking up three more shots on the back nine.

Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney finished solo fifth on two-under par after Sunday rounds of 71 and 70 but Irish champion Shane Lowry had to settle for a share of sixth place with Holland’s Floris de Vries after a closing 73.

The Castle’s Dara Lernihan was the next best of the Irish on level par with veteran John Morris a shot further back on one over after a pair of 72s.

Limerick’s Pat Murray, who will be the sole Irish amateur in this week’s Irish Open at Adare Manor, finished down the field on five over after closing rounds of 75 and 72.

AIB Irish Amateur Open, Royal Dublin (par 72)

278 P Figueiredo (Portugal) 73 67 70 68
285 K McNicoll (Scotland) 73 72 69 71, C Doran (Banbridge) 71 71 70 73, B Hemstock (England) 70 75 69 71
286 N Kearney (Royal Dublin) 72 73 71 70
287 F De Vries (Holland) 73 70 73 71, S Lowry (Esker Hills) 71 71 72 73
288 F Keenan (England) 73 72 70 73, D Lernihan (Castle) 72 73 69 74,
P O'Hara (Scotland) 70 71 72 75
289 W Booth (Scotland) 77 72 72 68, J Morris (Rosslare) 76 69 72 72, A Kristiansen (Norway) 70 79 70 70, O Serres (France) 70 72 75 72
290 C Macaulay (Scotland) 75 70 73 72, H Satama (Finland) 73 74 73 70,M Thistleton (England) 72 68 76 74
291 G Dear (Scotland) 74 73 69 75, R Kellett (Scotland) 73 72 76 70
292 F Abadie (France) 76 70 70 76, J Brun (France) 73 74 74 71,
N Gorey (Lee Valley) 73 72 74 73
293 A Hogan (Newlands) 76 73 71 73, Z Gould (Wales) 74 75 71 73, E Richardson (England) 73 74 75 71, P Murray (Limerick) 73 73 75 72, M Oueld-Es-Cheikh (France) 73 71 69 80
294 A Knappe (Germany) 77 71 73 73, F Illouz (France) 76 73 73 72, J Smedley (England) 75 73 72 74, R Cannon (L'town & B'town) 74 72 72 76, J Mikkelsen (Norway) 73 75 72 74
295 A Gabella-Wenne (Sweden) 80 69 75 71, G Ozcan (Turkey) 75 73 74 73, J Fox (Portmarnock) 73 75 73 74, J Carvill (Warrenpoint) 72 76 75 72,
E Arthurs (Forrest Little) 68 74 73 80
296 T Pollari (Finland) 75 74 74 73
297 R Carson (Scotland) 74 75 71 77, M Veijalainen (Finland) 74 74 71 78
298 J Lando-Casanova (France) 78 71 73 76, V Guillaume (France) 75 71 77 75
300 F Rouilleaux (France) 75 73 76 76
302 P O'Hanlon (Curragh) 77 72 74 79
303 M Delay-Termoz (France) 73 72 75 83
RTD G Cambis (France) 72 71 RTD