Maiden Win in Madeira

James Morrison, secured a maiden European Tour title following an a round of 70 that gave the Challenge Tour graduate the Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal on Sunday. After recovering from a poor start, following bogeys on two of his three opening holes, Morrison slipped back to 16 under for a while and within reach of the chasing pack.

However a birdie on the par five sixth then an eagle on the 8th put his round back on track and a two under par finish proved just enough to hold the lead from Ollie Fisher.

England’s Fisher started with four straight birdies lifting him to within a stroke of Morrison at one point. With only two birdies after the turn Fisher was unable to improve on a 65 and ended his four days on 19 under overall to take second place.

George Murray of Scotland bounced back from an opening bogey with an eagle at the sixth to keep up the chase before he made the turn. But a level par last nine holes held him at 14 under for third place one shot ahead of Charles-Edouard Russo of France on thirteen under.

Michael Hoey was the best Irish score on Sunday finishing in Porto Santo Golfe with a 69 to end on 11 under and repeat last year’s sixth place. After reaching the tenth on 33 shots two bogeys on the homeward leg and two birdies meant he could not improve on his three under par round.

For Simon Thornton the challenge ended on the par five 10th hole par when a quadruple bogey sent him back down the leader board. Although he recovered with two consecutive birdies on the following holes bogeys on the 17th and 18th left him 3 over par for the day and 8 under overall.

The Newcastle Co. Down resident had other things on his mind though this weekend as his wife Ciara was due to give birth to their first child on Saturday.

"I won't leave, no," said Thornton about the prospect of flying home if his wife wnet into labour over the`weekend. We made that decision before I came here. It's been nice spending the last few weeks together and now we're approaching D-Day as such,” explained Thornton after his round.

"There was a lot of debate over whether I'd come this week but because of the lack of opportunities in the last month I had to come and play it. If I'd not come here and taken a couple of weeks off then all of a sudden you get a card but not taking the opportunities, I had to come. I keep checking my phone all the time. There's no word yet."

The last Irish winner in Madeira was in 2001 when Des Smyth beat English man John Bickerton by two shots.