Bad news for Kearney at Walton Heath

Niall Kearney failed to complete the deal in the South of England Amateur Open Championship.

The Irish Times reports:

A disappointing final round at Walton Heath cost Dubliner Niall Kearney the chance of winning the South of England Open Amateur Championship today.

The 24-year-old Irish international was in contention throughout the event, having started today’s final 36-holes just one shot off the lead and two shots heading into the final round.

However this afternoon the Royal Dublin golfer struggled to get his putter going and mishit several shots before slumping to a three-over par 75, his worst round of the three days.

The plus-four handicapper finished with a 72-hole aggregate of four-under 284 for a share of sixth place, five shots behind new champion, Jason Palmer, who was the 2008 Midlands Amateur winner and former Italian Open champion.

Palmer had led on day one with a course record 63 but then fell back before finishing strongly. He finished one shot ahead of last year’s Caris Trophy winner Stiggy Hodgson with halfway leader Simon Crockett third.

Although disappointed at not winning Kearney will have done his chances of Walker Cup selection no harm.

Baltray’s Simon Ward finished joint 26th on 292 total with Portstewart’s Paul Cutler on 298.