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McNulty comes up short in Sunningdale playoff

February 17, 2011

By Staff Reporter

The fourth and final round began with Greg Norman atop the leaderboard at 200, followed by Funk and Roberts a stroke behind, with McNulty three strokes behind that pair. McNulty went out and shot 64, and then spent some time in the clubhouse as the leader, waiting for the others to sort themselves out.
Norman took himself out of contention with a double bogey at 17. Funk avoided any blunders over the back nine, but couldn’t muster a birdie and finished with the same 268 as McNulty. A birdie by Roberts at 17 enabled him to join the pair atop the leaderboard and force a 3-man playoff.
McNulty’s destiny had been in his own hands on the back nine. Four birdies shot him to the top of the leaderboard, and he could have strengthened his hand had he made either of two putts of less than 10 feet late in the round. But both slid ever so agonizingly by the cup, leaving him to settle for par.
McNulty and Roberts bid Funk adieu after the first extra hole when Funk couldn’t match their birdies at 18. The two remained deadlocked after the second go-round. Then, on the third try, McNulty pushed his drive into the left rough, and then it was only a matter of making things official.
“I gave it all I had, and just one bad shot,” McNulty said. “That’s what happens.”
McNulty shot rounds of 69, 67, 68 and 64 to finish 12 strokes under par for the event.
Denis O’Sullivan tied for 17th place at 276 (68-71-70-67). A pair of back-nine double bogeys on Friday was particularly punishing.
Des Smyth settled for a share of 58th place at 286 (66-74-74-72). He shared second place, just two strokes behind Funk, after the first round. But a plague of bogeys sent him spiraling down the leaderboard thereafter.

EUROPEAN TOUR
Gareth Maybin continues knocking on the door. He tied for 12th place in last week’s SAS Masters at Barseback in Malmo, Sweden. At 290 (72-73-72-73), Maybin – who is seeking his first Tour win – finished two strokes under par and eight behind the victorious Ricardo Gonzalez.
Peter Lawrie finished joint-27th at 293 (73-71-75-74). Gary Murphy got a share of 38th place at 295 (71-74-75-75). Michael Hoey was a stroke behind at 296 (72-74-74-76), which was good for a piece of 43rd place. Finally, Damien McGrane tied for 53rd place at 298 (73-71-76-78).

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