A closing level-par 71 for Dylan Naidoo in Sunday saw him finish in a share of 17th in the Challenge Tour’s Vierumäki Finnish Challenge at Vierumäki Resort Cooke Course in Vierumaki, Finland.
Naidoo, who had a third-round of six-under 65 to move into a share of fourth heading into the final round, made four birdies and four bogeys as Finland’s Lauri Ruuska closed with a second-successive seven-under 64 to race to a seven-shot victory for his maiden win on the Challenge Tour. Jack McDonald of Scotland and Sweden’s Joakim Wikstrom shared second on 20-under after rounds of 69 and 61 respectively.
For Naidoo, who is playing on a limited number of starts, the finish meant a 20-place climb on the Race to Mallorca rankings to 150th. Had he made just two more birdies in that final round, he would have gained entry into next week’s tournament in Sweden. So his chances of gaining full playing rights on the Challenge Tour next season hang by a thread with seven regular events left before the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final in November.
