Macclesfield Golf Club members were celebrating hard and long after their former junior star Jamie Donaldson posted his first European Tour win at the 255th attempt as he took the Irish Open Trophy and a handy cheque for well over 300,000 euros.
Jamie did it in style at the age of 36 in front of the biggest crowds ever seen in the Tour’s history at Royal Portrush GC who were superb hosts for the first Tour event staged in Northern Ireland since 1963.
He left a star-studded field, including local heroes Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Graham McDowell trailing in his wake with a fantastic final score of 18 under par to finish with a birdie on the 72nd hole for a last round of 66 which left him four shots clear of the field.
Jamie had gone into the last round as tournament leader with his confidence also boosted by his first tournament hole-in-one in the first round.
He said: "I deliberately did not look at the leader board during the final round so I didn’t really know what was going on.
"To have a hole-in-one for the first time in a tournament and then to win it as well, is very special."
His playing partner Anthony Wall added: "I’ve never doubted him. He’s a class act and a super, super player and he deserves everything he gets because he does work hard and he’s got loads of talent."
Jamie had a few days earlier qualified for the Open Championship at Royal Lytham, where he will be sure to have plenty of local support, and this win opens up several other big chances in the rest of the year at several major tournaments.
