Paddy Gribben joined an elite band of golfers yesterday as he retained the Carlsberg North of Ireland Amateur Championship title at Royal Portrush.

In a tense final he defeated Andrew Morris by two holes. "It was very special to win the title last year and it feels really great to have held on to it. This is a great boost to me as I head off to Carnoustie for the British Open. I'm going over on Sunday to get in some practice."

Gribben plays at Carnoustie as the reigning European Amateur Champion.

Morris who was appearing in his first ever major final showed no nerves and raced into a two holes lead after the fourth. Gribben made his first move at the seventh which he won in par but the one hole stayed between the pair until the 12th hole. Morris drove into rough to lose that hole and Gribben also won the 13th and the short 14th where he steered his favourite three iron to six feet and rolled in the putt.

The champion failed to get up and down at the par four 16th, missing from five feet, but disaster hit Morris up the 18th fairway. He drove into rough, came out into a fairway bunker, splashed out into more rough, taking four to the green with Gribben on in two. That decided the match.

In the morning semi-finals, Irish youth champion Graeme McDowell, from the nearby Rathmore Club, nearly staged a fabulous comeback against Gribben. Gribben was dormie four and thinking of an early lunch when McDowell miraculously grabbed a half at the short 14th. He then won the 15th where Gribben was in trouble, rolled in a 30 foot birdie putt on the 16th green and it was back to one when Gribben three-putted from over 20 yards at the 17th.

A great three iron into the heart of the home green by Gribben was his shot of the week as McDowell's approach rolled to the back. He made a good effort with his return putt but then missed from five feet as Gribben nipped into the final.

Tiredness crept into Gavin Lunny's game in his semi-final with Andrew Morris but the loser was quick to compliment his opponent. "Andrew played super golf," said Gavin.

The medal for the leading qualifier went to David Jones (City of Derry) on 137 with Gavin Lunny (Rashallagh) getting the award for best score on Dunluce (68) and Nigel Howley (Ballinasloe) receiving the medal from the Valley where he set the course record of 64.