IRISHMAN Michael McDermott collected the £10,000 first prize as winner of the PGA Europro Tour event over the Gainsborough course at Stoke by Nayland yesterday.

By Tony Garnett

IRISHMAN Michael McDermott collected the £10,000 first prize as winner of the PGA Europro Tour event over the Gainsborough course at Stoke by Nayland yesterday. He was five under par for his three rounds finishing with a level par 72 in sunny conditions.

Both McDermott and Warren Bladon of Marriott Forest of Arden were neck and neck at five under par with one to play.

Bladon's tee shot at the 191-yard par three finished about seven yards to the right of the green leaving him with a delicate chip. McDermott was also just off the green.

Bladon's high chip ran past the hole and rolled away to a far extremity of the green. He had to settle for a bogey while McDonnell completed his par.

This meant that Bladon shared runner-up money with Francis McGuirk (Princes) and Matthew Cort (unattached) who were already in the clubhouse at four under. They all received £3,100.

The game that attracted the biggest following was the one involving Paul Curry, trying to win the event for the third successive year, and Jason Levermore of Clacton. Both started promisingly but it soon became clear that they were never going to catch the leaders. Curry finished joint 15th and Levermore was joint 21st.

Scores: 211: M McDermott (Team Ireland/Stagstown) 72 67 72.

212: M Cort (unattached) 74 68 70, F McGuirk (Princes) 69 72 71, W Bladon (Marriott Forest of Arden) 71 70 71.

213: I Ridgway (High Legh Park) 74 71 68.

214: G Cullen (Ireland) 72 73 69, J Doherty (Picture Financial) 71 71 72.

215: J Ruebotham (Welwyn Garden City) 75 71 72, J Wade (Australia) 72 71 72, B Welch (Golf Finance) 74 69 72.

216: A Smith (Pyle and Kenfig) 71 75 70, D Wood (The Oxfordshire) 74 70 72, M Searle (Woodbury Park) 71 71 74, D Mooney (Nevada Bobs, Belfast) 69 72 75.

Other scores included: 217: R Claydon (Gog Magog) 75 73 69, P Curry (Braintree) 72 73 72.

218; J Levermore (Clacton) 71 74 73,

223: S Whiffin (Enfield) 74 74 75.

226: L Kennedy (Chelmsford) 70 78 78.