Killian McGinley overcomes final day nerves to clinch dream win at Disney
Fairfield Univeristy’s Killian McGinley, son of former European Ryder Cup captain, Paul and Ladies European Tour player Allison
Killian McGinley continued his remarkable run of form when he overcame a final round wobble to win his second NCAA Div 1 title on the trot in Florida last night.
The son of former Tour players Paul and Allison McGinley (21) followed last week's maiden win in Pennsylvania with a one-shot win in the MAAC Championship at Disney's Palm Golf Course, which formerly hosted the PGA Tour's Disney Classic.
The Fairfield University Senior followed a 68 with a bogey-free 65 to surge eight strokes clear of the field heading into the final round as he bid to become the sixth player in programme history to win the McLeod Trophy, and the first “Stag” since 2014.
Killian McGinley (left) with Fairfield University’s Director of Golf, Doug Holub and the tournament host
But Sunday nerves played their part and after starting on the 10th, he bogeyed four of his first seven holes, then followed a birdie at his 10th hole with a triple bogey seven at his 11th to find himself a shot behind with just seven holes to play.
He regained a share of the lead heading down the stretch and was still tied with two holes to play before clinching a confidence boosting victory with a gutsy birdie-par finish.
After ripping a five-iron to 12 feet at the par-three eighth, his 17th, he holed the putt for a birdie two before closing out a one-shot victory with a textbook par four at the ninth.
An economics major, McGinley signed for a five-over 77 to win by the slimmest of margins from Mount St Mary's University's Hank Schaefer on six-under-par.
As a result of his win, he progresses to the upcoming NCAA regionals as an individual.
Hoping to return home this summer to play some amateur events in Ireland, McGinley claimed his first collegiate win at the ABARTA Coca-Cola Collegiate Invitational at Northampton Country Club in Easton, Pennsylvania on April 16.
He will graduate next month with a degree in economics.
But as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic, he has an extra year of eligibility to play Division 1 golf and has just been admitted to the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) to do his post graduate degree in economics, starting in August.