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England's Finch strolls to victory in Ireland

19/05/2008

Richard Finch has won the Irish Open by two shots after carding a two-under-par round of 70 on the final day at Adare Manor.

The Englishman coped with the pressure as he followed up his superb seven-under-par second round with a composed round of golf on day four.

Finch showed signs of the pressure getting to him on the final hole, however, as he wheeled away from his chip shot onto the green before slipping and falling into the brook.

However, his caddie dragged him from the water and he dried himself off as best he could before three-putting and securing an overall score of ten under par - two shots clear of Chile's Felipe Aguilar.

"I never really gave falling in a thought, to be honest," said Finch afterwards.

"As I hit the shot, I knew straight away I had made a decent contact. I don't know whether I slipped or went round with momentum, but the next thing I knew I was gradually falling down the bank.

"I kept trying to follow the ball, looked up and saw it was on the green, and I was in a bit of shock. Then I was in the water!"

Overnight leader Bradley Dredge fell away on the final day as he carded a four-over-par 76 to finish tied for eighth.

Four players ended in a tie for third - Sweden's Robert Karlsson, the Netherlands' Maarten Lafeber, Gary Murphy of Ireland and Lee Westwood of England.