Moortown's Nick McCarthy takes route 66 to third place in Matchroom Sport Championship

Moortown's Nick McCarthy pictured during last year's Open at Royal Birkdale (Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire).

MOORTOWN'S Nick McCarthy carded an eight-birdie closing 66 to share third place in the Hotelplanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour's Matchroom Sport Championship at Harleyford.

McCarthy moves into the top eight in the tour’s order of merit having opened the tournament with scores of 67 70.

He would have got himself into a play-off for the title but for two bogeys – his only errors of the day – in his final four holes.

Boston West’s Billy Spooner returned a final-round 68 to be crowned champion on 15 under, his victory push bolstered by a second-round 64 that had followed 69 on day one.

Alex Lodge (Azego: The Component People) pushed him hard on the final day, but 20-year-old Spooner repulsed his challenge to capture his maiden title by a shot.

Spooner had set a new course record with his 64, but it lasted only 24 hours as Ireland’s Brian Casey shot a nine-under par 63 to finish tied with McCarthy after a round that contained nine birdies and one eagle.