Picture of the Day - Green Despair

Richard Green of Australia looks dejected after missing his putt on the 18th green during the Final Round of the Discover Ireland Irish Open held at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club on July 31, 2011 in Killarney, Ireland. (July 30, 2011 - Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

Dyson Irish Delight and Green Despair

England's Simon Dyson completed a month to remember by winning the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland in Killarney.

The 33 year old took the first prize of €250,000 a fortnight after finishing ninth in The Open Championship - an event he went into as fifth reserve less than a week before it started.

"It's a shame you can't bottle how you feel sometimes," said Dyson after his fifth European Tour victory was achieved when Australian Richard Green three-putted the last to miss out by one.

"It's amazing - it really is. The golf I've played this week is probably the best I've ever played."

Two birdies in the final three holes for a closing 67 and 15 under par total gives Dyson a place in this week's World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron and possibly a spot back in the Official World Golf Ranking's top 50.

"That was the main aim after The Open," he added.

"I knew after that I could cut with the guys in the majors and I was thinking if I keep swinging it as I am I'm going to give myself chances."

Green led for most of the last day and was one ahead when he matched Dyson's two-putt birdie on the long 16th.

Dyson, though, pitched to three feet at the next to draw level and then, having missed from nine feet for a third successive birdie on the last, saw Green send a near 60 footer ten feet past and miss the return.

"You always feel sorry for somebody when that happens," added Dyson. "I would have much preferred to win it with a birdie, but I will take whatever I can get."

Scot Stephen Gallacher was third on 12 under thanks to a closing birdie, with Austrian Bernd Wiesberger taking fourth.

At the start of the week it had all been about Ireland's four major winners Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington, but not one of them finished in the top 20.

McDowell came 25th and McIlroy 34th, while Harrington and Clarke, in his first appearance since winning The Open, both missed the cut.

McIlroy, 25th in The Open, has just clung onto fourth place in the world as he heads back to America seven weeks after his runaway US Open triumph.

"It wasn't the result I was looking for, but this was the first week of three," said the 22 year old after a closing 71. 

"Next week is big, but the week after (the US PGA in Atlanta) is the most important one.

"I feel if I put the work in there's no reason why I can't have another good shot at a Major."

Final results

Irish Win Fading on Killarney Shores

David Howell on Saturday

(Photo Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

The name of the leading home challenger at the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland changed again on Saturday in Killarney with Dubliner Peter Lawrie taking on the mantle after a one under par third round – to finish within four shots off the leaders. With two major winners missing the cut on Friday – Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington – the fans were looking to Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy to produce the winning fireworks over the weekend. However one over par rounds from the US Open winners dropped them down the leader board and eight shots off the pace. 

For Lawrie, who last won in Spain in 2008, the season gathered momentum in April with a second place finish at the Volvo China Open at Luxehills in Chengdu, and so the thought of a win in Killarney would be undoubtedly flicker across his mind, now that he is in the mix. Only for a double bogey on the par four 13th the Dubliner could have eased even closer to the group ahead of him that includes two previous Irish Open winners, Ross Fisher last year and Soren Hansen from Denmark who took the title in 2002 at Fota Island. 

Lawrie plays the final round with European Tour veteran, Barry Lane. 

There is home support close behind from Michael Hoey, who has plotted a few wins since regaining his card in 2009, including one a few months ago in Madeira. The calibre of Hoey is no in doubt either, as he recovered from a double bogey on the tenth with an eagle on the par five 16th on Saturday. 

Again he is product of the Northern Ireland division of major winners and in his time enjoyed success in the Walker Cup in 2001. He recognises that a win at the national event would be the big time for him, describing it in the build up as equal to winning a major. 

A win would also erase the memory of 2009 at Baltray, where after reaching two under at the 10th hole in his second round, Hoey found that he had 15 clubs in the bag – and was disqualified. 

Paul Cutler saw his chance of applying pressure on Sunday fade with a level par round on Saturday, moving him in the wrong direction to five under, after a round of 71. Again the Portstewart player showed his talent, and competitive edge, using the conditions for a birdie on the last, which followed an eagle at the 16th. 

For the last round Cutler and Hoey are paired together. 

Simon Thornton finished Saturday in 69 strokes and heads into Sunday on four under, out of contention perhaps, but within the money. Clearly playing the event free of any of the pressure that might have affected him were he on Tour this season 

A double bogey five at the third was the most costly setback in what was an otherwise positive round. It must be encouraging for the future – should he chase the Tour card for next season at Q School later this year. Currently 98th in the European Challenge Tour rankings after six events, it remains the only route back to full time golf for Thornton. 

Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy battled around the Killeen Course on Saturday with rounds of 72, which at one point led the Portrush man to suggest on Twitter that they might get paired together for Sunday - to have some fun. However, it did not quite work out that way and McDowell plays with Shiv Kapur at 10:16 on Sunday and McIlroy alongside Lorenzo Gagli in the slot just before him. Both players had higher expectations for this week no doubt. 

But as the history suggests, an Irish win at the national golf event is nearly as rare as capturing a glimpse of a Bald Headed Eagle on the shores of Lough Leane. 

Damien McGrane finished his back nine 6 over par to sign for a round of 77, having made the turn in level par. As a result he tumbled down the leader board and at level par overall is out of contention. 

For Colm Moriarty the momentum of the two early days faded with a three over par finish on Saturday, which for the Athlone man was movement of the wrong kind, having bogeyed the tenth to go four shots over. But a couple of birdies on the home stretch improved things somewhat. But not enough to stop Moriarty falling back to 58th place overnight. On Sunday he gets another chance to chat with Simon Kahn as they are paired for the final round once again. 

PGA Irish Region professional John Kelly ended his third day with a three over par 74 and goes into Sunday planning much of the same no doubt - anxious to secure a creditable finish. Two double bogeys on the card the major damage. 

Kelly partners Alejandro Cañizares, who apart from sharing the birthday with another irish Open winner, Sergio Garcia, became the third father/son combination to win in European Tour history, following Antonio and Ignacio Garrido and Craig and Kevin Stadler. His father José Maria played in four Ryder Cup Teams (1981, 83, 85, 89) and won the World Cup with José Rivero in 1984, while brother Gabriel plays on the Challenge Tour. 

With David Howell, Richard Green and Simon Dyson all on eleven under it seems really theirs to lose. 

Maybe one of them has Irish parentage? 

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