After a year of unimaginable personal trauma, Glasgow golfer Conor O’Neil found a silver lining as he claimed an emotional maiden win on the PGA EuroPro Tour.
The Pollok member closed with a four-under 68 in The Jessie May World Snooker Golf Championship at Donnington Grove for a nine-under aggregate and won the £12,500 first prize by a single shot.
Both O’Neil’s father and uncle took their own lives last year during a period of shattering tragedy for the young Scot and his family. His victory was a just reward for his strength of character and a fitting tribute to the loved ones he lost in such desperate circumstances.
“I’ve been trying to win here for ages,” said O’Neil, who has chipped away on the third-tier since turning pro back in 2013. “I’ve had the worst time of my life in the last year. I don’t have any words, I’m just so happy. I wish my dad could be here to see this. He deserves this more than me, to be honest, for what he did for me.
“There’s more to life than golf. I’m just glad that I’ve been able to give my family something to smile about because we’ve not had anything to smile about over the last year.”
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