Ireland’s Alex Maguire put on a show at The Old Course today, collecting 15 birdies over 36 holes as he won the St Andrews Links Trophy by five shots.
FORMAT: 72-hole stroke play
The Laytown & Bettystown player started the day two behind halfway leader Charlie Crockett (Addington Palace) but rounds of 66 and 64 at The Home of Golf ensured he secured the biggest win of his life.
Maguire, who also finished fourth at The Irish Open last month, was tied for the lead with Crockett entering the final round but the 22-year-old blew him away with a scintillating eight-under-par effort, backing up his brilliant win in the East of Ireland just last week.
And with the Walker Cup being held at St Andrews later in the year, the Irishman must now be in the selectors’ thinking. He was 20 under par for his three rounds on the Old Course.
He said: “It feels absolutely amazing to be able to call myself the St Andrews Links champion. What a place to win. You couldn’t pick a better place to have a victory than the Old Course. I’m absolutely delighted.
“It was my first time playing the Old Course this week. And it’s a strange thing, I have a habit of winning in my first time playing events. I’ve done it the North, did it Connacht Stroke Play. I did well at British Am my first time playing it and then obviously this.
“Two titles in two weeks. I probably wouldn’t have wrote it but I just felt like the pressure I had last week made it a lot easier this week because there was no crowds out watching. I knew it was a big event but I didn’t really feel much pressure.
“I didn’t really feel nerves just because I was so exhausted after last week so I guess it kind of helped me. And obviously form sort of helps coming into an event on a links course that I really really enjoy, the Old Course.
“It’s been a great two weeks, my phone is blowing up now so it’s hard to manage that a bit.”
Maguire turned on the style on Sunday afternoon. Five birdies on his front nine put him out of reach and he closed things out with birdies on 10, 11 and 14 for a magnificent win.
It was a busy week for Maguire and he will turn his attentions to the The Amateur now with plenty of potential for more silverware on the horizon this year. Last year he finished third, losing in the semi-final to eventual winner Aldrich Potgieter.
“I’m staying here now in England with my girlfriend, she is going to come over and we are going to have a little holiday in London for a few days and then back to Southport for the British Am which is next week and then after that we will see what happens,” said Maguire.
“It was a hectic week after the East replying to people and then getting the body right and getting the mind right to play this week. Then I had to do it all over again.”