Emilio Cuartero-Blanco claimed his first European Challenge Tour win after a play-off with Oscar Lengden after the final round of the Stone Irish Challenge was washed out.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

EMILIO Cuartero-Blanco secured an emotional maiden victory on the European Challenge Tour after defeating Oscar Lengden on the third play-off hole of the Stone Irish Challenge.

The final round of the tournament, which was being played at Headfort Golf Club, was cancelled as heavy rains water-logged the course, rendering it unplayable.

With Cuartero-Blanco and Lengden sharing the 54-hole lead on 11-under, a play-off — held on the par three 17th hole — was required to determine a winner.

Both players carded two-putt pars on the first extra hole, and on the second, both nearly chipped in after missing the green.

The third time around, Cuartero-Blanco holed a birdie putt from 12 feet, and when Lengden’s birdie effort from 10 feet burned the edge, the Spaniard secured his first victory in five seasons on the Challenge Tour.

“I remember the first year I got onto the Challenge Tour five years ago, I thought I was going to win a couple, maybe three and get to the European Tour,” said Cuartero-Blanco.

“Then I got shocked with reality. I’ve been close before, but now, it’s just one of those feelings I can’t describe.

“I just want to go home and hug my loved ones. It’s just a tournament I know, and life goes on, but I’m definitely going to enjoy this one. I don’t know what to say really.”

The victory dramatically alters the course of the season for the 28-year-old, who now moves to 41st on the Road to Mallorca rankings, and gains entry into the limited-field Hainan and Foshan Opens in the Far East.

“This was going to be the last tournament of the year for me,” Cuartero-Blanco said.

“I was 100th on the rankings, and it was one of those years where you battle and the scores don’t go the right way, but you know you’re doing things well.”

The win came so suddenly for Cuartero-Blanco, that he will forgo the Hainan Open in order to obtain the necessary travel visa for the Foshan Open.

In China, he will then try to earn a spot in the season-ending Challenge Tour Grand Final, which is reserved for the top 45 players on the Road to Mallorca.

“I don’t even know how I played this good with all the swing changes I’m doing. I was just trying to play golf and have no back pain, and I ended up winning.

“Maybe it’s because I’m having fun, but I don’t know. I don’t want to think about it too much I just want to enjoy it.

“Now I know I can win. I know it’s not four rounds and all that, but a win is a win.”

Cormac Sharvin, who finished in a tie for fifth on eight-under, collected the Christy O’Connor Jnr Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the low-Irishman at the Stone Irish Challenge.

The Dublin resident moved to fifth on the Road to Mallorca and has joined the race to finish the season as Challenge Tour No. 1.

The Challenge Tour now heads to the Orient for two limited-field events, which begin with the Hainan Open, at Sanya Luhuitou Golf Club in Donghai Bay, China, from October 17-20.

•For full results in the Stone Irish Challenge click here.

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Canadian Aaron Cockerill shares the lead at the Stone Irish Challenge after a five-under par 67, after a run of good results on in Morocco. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

AARON Cockerill’s red-hot form has travelled from Morocco to Ireland and he will take a share of the lead into day two at the Stone Irish Challenge.

The Canadian, who has jumped from 97^th to 50^th on the Road to Mallorca rankings over the past three tournaments, carded a five-under par 67 to sit atop the leaderboard.

He shared the lead alongside Somerset’s Laurie Canter, Spaniard Emilio Cuartero Blanco and Dutchman Daan Huizing.

The round was the first trip Cockerill made around the difficult Headfort New course, after he spent the early part of the week working to make travel arrangements for the upcoming Hainan Open following his last three results of tied 17^th, tied fifth and tied seventh, which earned him a place in the limited field.

“This course is pretty demanding off the tee, and I hadn’t played a practice round because I’ve been trying to figure out my visa, but maybe that was a good thing because there were fewer things to think about,” said Cockerill.

It can often be a fine line between success and failure in professional golf, and the 27-year-old believes the key to his current form comes from being on the good side of those narrow margins.

“I’ve made a lot of cuts, but I just hadn’t had a lot of high finishes,” Cockerill added. “It’s not that big of a difference between finishing 40^th and finishing 15^th.

“It’s a couple things here or there, maybe one less bad drive or making the odd putt, just very minor stuff.

“I’ve kind of been around the lead for the last month it feels like so I’m getting a bit more comfortable and my game is feeling good.”

Asked if he puts much stock into his position on the leaderboard after one round, the Winnipeg native said he has learned his lesson over the years.

“I used to, and that’s when I would shoot 75 in round two or three and be out of it, but not anymore.

‘Now I just take it shot by shot, as simple as that sounds, that’s what has been working for me, just worry about the next one.”

With only the top 45 players qualifying for the season-ending Challenge Tour Grand Final, Cockerill has sprung to life at the perfect time.

But he will have to hold off his peers who he shares the lead with and a host of players within striking distance.

Dublin resident Cormac Sharvin, who occupies the eighth position on the Road to Mallorca, sits only two shots back of the leaders after carding a three-under par 69.

And he is joined by former European Tour winner Michael Hoey, from Northern Ireland, who also carded an opening round 69 of his own to take a share of tenth place.

The opening round of the Stone Irish Challenge was suspended due to darkness, however with only one group left to finish, the final group will complete play on Friday morning at 8.45am.

Tee times for round two will remain unaffected. Follow live scoring here.

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