Michael McGeady loves that winning feeling after years of finishing second.

The 30-year-old from Derry is still on a high after claiming his first pro victory on the Challenge Tour.

In fact, it is McGeady's first win of any kind in a big event, as he was so often the 'nearly man' in a solid amateur career that never brought him a GUI 'Major'.

Now that he's making his living from the game, the &£8364;22,400 prize for winning the SWALEC Wales Challenge is just what McGeady needs to boost his hopes of playing on the main Tour.

The Irishman shot a final-round 68 which put him in a play-off with Sweden's Joel Sjoholm, and he won at the second tie hole. Statistically, the result shoots McGeady 125 places up the rankings to 34th and his confidence will be high facing into this week's Challenge of Ireland at scenic Glasson.

Considering he is marrying fiance©e Lisa Brown in Derry next November, the rise in McGeady's fortunes is timely and spurs his hopes of getting a main Tour card via the Challenge Tour rankings.

His victory also brings Ireland's remarkable sequence of professional wins this season to 11, ranging from Padraig Harrington's Open Championship victory to Noel Fox's EuroPro Tour success in the Faithlegg Championship.

Above all, there's no more 'nearly man' burden to bear.

"It's great to get the monkey off my back," said McGeady.

"As an amateur I won twice in 1999 as a youth and won a few scratch cups. I was runner-up in the East of Ireland and the Irish Close.

"It seems I've always been a runner-up and I hadn't won as a professional. I was thinking about that in the play-off, and I kept telling myself, 'it's time to win'. Drawing on past experiences I was just determined to do it this time.

"I've had a lot of disappointments in the past but it's nice to win now."

The Derry man, who is coached by Brendan McDaid, didn't go overboard on the celebrations.

"I was on the same flight to Belfast last night as Gareth Maybin. I bought him a few beers. We played together in the last round and he is playing lovely golf," said McGeady.

Maybin finished joint third in Wales and is currently 15th in the Challenge Tour rankings.