Golf Roundup: Dodd enjoys playoff win

The prize went up for grabs after overnight leader Nick Dougherty coughed up his advantage by four-putting the fifth hole for a double bogey.
Dodd recovered from a bogey at 17 with a birdie at 18. Howell, meanwhile, carded an eagle-3 at 15 and closed with a birdie at 18 to force the playoff, his second in as many weeks. Dodd reached the green in two at the extra hole and sank his second putt from five feet for the victory. Howell lost in similar fashion at last week’s Dunlop Masters.
Padraig Harrington overcame a stiff neck to lead the home side by finishing in joint fifth place at 282 (73-72-68-69). Colm Moriarty gave the performance of his career by climbing into 13th place at 285 (69-74-72-70). Darren Clarke had the 17th spot all to himself, having shot 286 (70-75-69-72). Paul McGinley got a piece of 28th place at 289 (72-69-74-74), Peter Lawrie tied for 39th at 290 (74-71-74-71), David Higgins tied for 43rd place at 291 (73-75-70-73), while Gary Murphy (73-72-73-76) and Jimmy Bolger (73-73-71-77) comprised part of the sextet that was in 64th place with 294. Graeme McDowell missed the cut by just a stroke, having shot 149 (73-76).
Course designer Colin Montgomerie was lodged amidst a group of 11, including McGinley, who finished in 28th place with scores of 289. Monty shot rounds of 71, 73, 75 and 70.

EUROPEAN SENIORS
Eamonn Darcy took Gary Watine past regulation at the Italian Seniors Open, but the Frenchman hung tough for the victory on the first playoff hole. Both finished 11 strokes under par at 205, with Darcy posting scores of 69, 69 and 67. Watine holed an 18-foot birdie putt in sudden death to give him his first professional tour victory.
“I made a mess of it to be quite honest,” Darcy said. “I hit my approach to the 16th to about two feet and then missed the putt. I don’t know why I did it, but I changed my grip when I was standing over the putt and it just didn’t feel right. That really threw me.”
Also making the scene were Denis O’Sullivan, who shared 19th place at 218 (72-70-76), Eddie Polland, tied for 24th place at 219 (76-71-72), John Curtis, who got a slice of the 37th spot at 222 (72-73-77), and Liam Higgins, who settled in at the 57th position among those who shot 226 (73-80-73).

CHAMPIONS TOUR
Mark McNulty had fourth place all to himself at completion of the Bruno’s Memorial Classic at Greystone Golf Club in Hoover, Ala. He atoned for an opening-round 74 with closing rounds of 65 and 66 to finish at 205, which was 11 strokes under par and four off D.A. Weibring’s winning score. Des Smyth shared 13th place at 209 (71-68-70). McNulty collected $90,000, while Smyth pocketed $26,250.

NGA/HOOTERS TOUR
Gareth Maybin birdied three of the four finishing holes on Sunday to lift himself into a tie for 12th place in the Fox Hills Lakeshore Classic at Fox Hills Resort in Mishicot, Wis. At 289 (75-72-72-70), Maybin was one stroke over par for the tournament and five strokes off the foursome that qualified for the playoff, which was won by Tee McCabe.

EUROPRO TOUR
Eamonn Brady and Peter Williamson shared honors as top finishing Irishmen at the Uplands Classic, played at the Players Club in Bristol, England. Both shot 3-over-par 219 to finish in fifth place, five strokes off the number that led to a playoff. Brady’s cards read 74, 73 and 72, while Williamson signed to 75, 71 and 73. Farther down the leaderboard stood Padraig Dooley, tied for 36th place at 225 (74-73-78), Alan Murray, tied for 39th position at 226 (73-74-79), and Michael McDermott, who shared the 45th spot at 228 (74-74-80). John Wade came through the extra holes to win for the second week in a row.