Simon Thornton in action at Gleneagles last month. Picture Stuart Adams /www.golffile.ieIreland’s Simon Thornton saw his dream of glory come up one shot short when he was pipped for the Allianz Golf Open Grand Toulouse in south west France on the European Challenge Tour by England’s Sam Little.

The good news is that the €17,600 he picked up for second place moved him from 25th place to 12th on the Rankings with €61,996 and he now has an excellent chance of regaining his card by finishing in the top 20 at the end of the season.