Yates rallies to claim seventh place in Copa de Andalucia
Marcus Svensson won the Copa de Andalucia by three strokes
Naas’ Jonathan Yates closed with a three under 69 to finish tied for seventh in the Copa de Andalucía in Marbella.
The West of Ireland champion opened with an eagle two at the first, slam dunking a pitching wedge from 130 yards, then added three birdies and just two bogeys on the final day to finish on level par 288.
He ended up seven strokes behind Malaga based Swede, Marcus Svensson, who won by three shots on seven under 281 after a closing 74 at Real Club de Golf Guadalmina.
Fellow Naas man Robert Brazill was on course for a top finish with three holes to play but bogeyed the 16th and then racked up a quadruple bogey nine at the 17th en route to a 74.
He still finished in 18th place on five over par with Kilkenny’s Mark Power, the Irish Boys champion, tied for 23rd on 10 over after a disappointing final round of 79.
Power’s Kilkenny club mate Luke Donnelly shot a 74 to share 35th spot on 14 over 302 while Rosslare’s John Brady was joint 40th on 303, also after a 74.
Plus five handicapper Svensson, who is attached to the Andalucian Federation, finished three ahead of Seville’s Pablo Rodríguez-Tabernero and Barcelona’s Adriá Arnaus,
The Swede was highly consistent over the four days, carding rounds of 70, 68, 69 and 74.
Copa Andalucía, Real Club de Golf Guadalmina (Par 72)
1 MARCUS SVENSSON -5.0 70 68 69 74 281 -7
2 PABLO RODRIGUEZ-TABERNERO TORRES -2.6 72 71 69 72 284 -4
3 ADRIA ARNAUS ANTUNEZ -3.7 65 78 71 70 284 -4
4 IGNACIO MONTERO GIMENO -2.3 74 72 73 68 287 -1
5 ALEJANDRO DEL REY GONZALEZ -2.3 65 75 71 76 287 -1
6 ANGEL HIDALGO PORTILLO -3.5 71 66 80 70 287 -1
7 JOAN TOUS NICOLAU -1.2 75 71 74 68 288 PAR
8 JONATHAN YATES -2.7 74 71 74 69 288 PAR
9 JAVIER SAINZ DELGADO -2.8 71 71 74 72 288 PAR
10 VICTOR PASTOR RUFIAN -2.2 74 74 72 69 289 +1
18 ROBERT BRAZILL -1.3 74 70 73 76 293 +5
25 MARK POWER -2.6 71 74 74 79 298 +10
37 LUKE DONNELLY -1.2 70 80 78 74 302 +14
46 JOHN BRADY -2.0 74 74 81 74 303 +15
CUT
81 THOMAS MULLIGAN -2.6 76 80 86 -
84 EAMONN O DRISCOLL -0.3 79 81 85