THERE was a passionate North-East crowd after an early blast of some typical North-East weather, before the curtain came down on the British Masters’ first appearance in the North-East in 45 years.

For a decent amount of time on Sunday afternoon, it even seemed as if there would be a North-East champion.

Hartlepool’s Graeme Storm initially threatened to do what Paul Dunne eventually did and finish ahead of Rory McIlroy in the battle for the £500,000 share of the £3m prize pot. The fact he was left disappointed to have ended tied fourth indicates just how near he came.

Him winning would have been the ideal end to a pretty sweet week in Northumberland, on the outskirts of Newcastle. Instead it was the young Irishman, and not the one everyone had expected, who lifted the trophy.

Graham Wylie, Close House’s proud owner, would have loved the celebratory photograph on the 18th green to have been of him standing alongside his attached Tour pro Lee Westwood as champion rather than tournament host.

Westwood’s failure to make inroads on the leaders on the final day, though, would have left Wylie thinking about who else he would have liked to win it. He previously spoke of a wish for one of the big names, like Rory or Sergio Garcia. Even someone from the region, like Storm.

When Storm, teeing off in the penultimate group in the early rain, birdied two of the first three holes to claim the lead on his own, the buzz started around his group. Thousands followed him, and more watched McIlroy ahead.

The sight of galleries 20 deep in places must have warmed everyone’s heart from these parts, with one spectator saying: “It just shows you how starved we are up here of top-class sporting events, because this is the turn-out we get. Even in the rain. We deserve more and this shows it.”

That particular man certainly didn’t have Storm, knowing a record British Masters crowd of more than 60,000 had turned up over the four days, disagreeing.

“It’s been unbelievable, fantastic for Close House, fantastic for the North-East for everyone who supported it,” said Storm. "The weather hasn’t even been that great either, so to see the numbers turn out for an event like this is amazing. They have topped the crowds for the last two British Masters, so they have done a really good job.

“It shows we can host any tournament, whether it is here, at Rockliffe Hall where I am attached, but there’s no reason why we can’t host big events like this."

Storm, backed by plenty supporters and nicknamed ‘Stormzy’ over the few days, felt he could easily have won had he putted and chipped better around the greens. Yet he still posted a three-under 67 for the third day in a row.

While Storm was steady, the lesser known Irishman Dunne was going about his business exceptionally behind, with far fewer people following him round even though he was in the final group with the overnight leader Robert Karlsson.

Dunne, who shot to prominence when he led the Open after 54 holes two years ago and ranked 192nd in the world, must have started to believe when he followed up three early birdies with an eagle three at the sixth.

Before he had delivered there, Storm had wasted an opportunity on the same par 5 – just as he did at the 13th too – and he had to fight to keep his game together as he walked towards the seventh green.

He appeared to be successful, making par. Then he bogeyed two of the next three holes and those proved costly when he left his approach from the tee short of the green.

“I’m disappointed I missed too many putts,” said Storm. “It started when I left it short in the middle at five to keep the momentum moving and the birdies coming.

“I was unfortunate on the sixth because it didn’t roll back down the hill, and then bogeyed the two par threes which was silly. Other than that I played nicely.”

While Storm started to slide, Dunne found an extra gear. At the 11th he saw his wild approach, destined to end left of the green, bounce back off a sprinkler head and land four foot from the hole. He nailed it for a birdie.

Dunne’s handsome lead was under threat. Not by Storm, but by McIlroy who birdied five of his last seven holes to really pile the pressure on a young player who has had to wait for his first Tour title.

Rather than buckle Dunne rose to the occasion. Despite hitting a bunker at 15, he chipped out to save par and then rolled a putt in for birdie at 17 to go two shots clear as he walked to the last.

At 18 he missed the green from the tee but chipped in to finish with a staggering nine-under 61, a course record had preferred lies not been in play because of the wet conditions. That 20 under tournament total was three better than McIlroy.

Overnight leader Karlsson never really went away and finished a shot back, while Storm ended tied fourth with Swede David Lingmerth and German Florian Fritsch. Had Storm, the South Africa open champion who won around £140,000, rolled in a short putt on 17 then it would have brought a positive end to a solid week.

He said: “If I am disappointed finishing fourth then how far I have come this year? It would have capped a great year though by winning here. Paul got away quite quickly and it was difficult to catch him, Rory did a good job too. I felt I could have been in amongst it.

“I just didn’t capitalize on my opportunities. But it was great to see people who I knew out there. It’s been well supported and I think it has been absolutely fabulous week.”

Storm might not have managed to deliver the biggest prize at Close House, but the region’s finest golfer help in his own way to make sure the British Masters’ return to the North-East was an overwhelming success.