Brazill proves impossible

ROBERT BRAZILL bravely matched Alex Gleeson’s 18th-hole birdie to give Naas Golf Club its third West of Ireland Championship in just five years.

The big-hitting 21-year-old was one up playing the last after a titanic battle played in a freezing northeast wind and driving rain at County Sligo’s Rosses Point links.

But, while Gleeson heroically birdied the final hole from 15 feet to ask the question and give himself a chance of forcing a play-off, Brazill answered him emphatically by slamming his birdie into the back of the hole from 12 feet for a deserved one-hole win and Naas’ third triumph in the West since 2014.

“It’s unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable,” said Brazill, who paid tribute to his caddie Robbie Pierse for reminding him that Gleeson was capable of holing everything.

“I never thought I would get to here. But I have put a lot of work in this winter over the last few years working with my coach Gavin Lunny and playing with Jack (Hume) and Jonny (Yates), playing loads of golf with them. They are at a higher level than me so to compare my game with theirs has been great.”

Hume won the title in 2014 and Yates in 2016 and plus-two handicapper Brazill is clearly another huge talent.

His win sends him straight to the top of the new Bridgestone Order of Merit — the new points list for the eight national and provincial “majors” which will award the leading two players a spot in the Irish team for the Home