New star Shaw arrives at Glasson
By Brian Keogh
Irish golf heralded the arrival of a new star when Lisburn’s Gareth Shaw claimed a share of fourth place in the €150,000 Challenge of Ireland at Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club.
Less than a month after helping Ireland win back-to-back European Amateur Team titles in Turin, the 22-year-old closed with a bogey free 69 in just his second start at the professional to finish two strokes behind maiden winner Andrew Tampion of Australia on six-under-par.
Tied for 34th on his tour debut in Wales, the two-time North of Ireland champion and star player for East Tennessee State University felt he had the game to compete in the paid ranks when he watched former US collegiate rivals make successful starts to their careers.
And he confirmed that belief and the confidence shown in him by his manager Conor Ridge and fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell by claiming a top-ten finish and a cheque for €6,300.
Shaw said: “I didn’t really know what to expect when I turned professional but I now know that I have got the game to compete out here.
“I got a few nice text messages from guys like GMac (Graeme McDowell) and my manager Conor Ridge and some friends, advising me to play my own game and that’s what I’ve tried to do. So far so good.”
Ranked 14th in the R&A’s World Amateur Golf ranking when he turned professional, Shaw confessed that he was nervous as he teed it up on a sponsor’s invitation and soared to three over par after just two holes of his first round.
But having seen former college golf rivals like Jonas Blixt and Joel Sjoholm make steady starts to their professional careers, he drew from a deep well of self-belief to claim a top-ten finish that assures his place in this week’s Lexus Open in Norway.
Fellow Ulsterman Gareth Maybin closed with a joint best of the day 67 to share ninth place on four-under move up two places to 13th on the rankings as Glasson’s Colm Moriarty struggled to 75 that relegated him to tied 24th with Royal County Down’s Simon Thornton.
Five behind Scotland’s Richie Ramsay starting the final round, Melbourne native Tampion (23) scorched to the turn in five under par 31 and holed a 12-footer at the last hole for a 67 that proved to be good enough in the end for a one-shot victory over England’s Richard Bland and Scotland's David Drysdale on eight-under par.
Challenge of Ireland present by Glasson, Glasson Golf Hotel & CC (Par 72)
280 A Tampion (Aus) 71 71 71 67;
281 R Bland (Eng) 68 69 72 72; D Drysdale (Sco) 67 74 69 71;
282 J Blixt (Swe) 70 75 66 71; C Del Moral (Esp) 70 71 71 70; G Shaw (Nir) 69 71 73 69; M Higley (Eng) 71 72 66 73; R Ramsay (Sco) 66 70 72 74;
283 E Goya (Arg) 65 75 74 69; G Maybin (Nir) 70 73 73 67; R Davies (Wal) 70 75 71 67;
284 R McEvoy (Eng) 71 73 71 69; I Garbutt (Eng) 74 70 71 69; C Lee (Sco) 67 72 75 70; M Smith (Eng) 70 72 72 70; A McArthur (Sco) 72 71 72 69; T Cruz (Por) 67 72 77 68; G Lockerbie (Eng) 69 75 72 68;
285 S Jeppesen (Swe) 67 73 73 72; M Tullo (Chi) 72 71 72 70; R De Sousa (Sui) 69 74 73 69; D Carter (Eng) 74 68 75 68; P Gustafsson (Swe) 75 68 66 76;
286 C Moriarty (Irl) 67 70 74 75; S Thornton (Irl) 71 73 68 74; M Haastrup (Den) 69 72 73 72;
287 M King (Eng) 72 73 73 69; S Davis (Eng) 67 77 75 68; B McCarroll (Irl) 74 71 71 71; A Gee (Eng) 67 73 74 73; M Zions (Aus) 70 72 76 69; G Murray (Sco) 71 74 71 71;
288 D Wardrop (Eng) 68 72 71 77; B Grace (RSA) 71 74 75 68; O David (Fra) 71 73 70 74; J Clément (Sui) 71 74 74 69; R Coles (Eng) 68 74 75 71; E Ramsay (Sco) 72 73 75 68; S Henderson (Sco) 68 75 74 71; A Willey (Eng) 72 73 73 70;
289 T Milford (Eng) 69 72 72 76; A Snobeck (Fra) 69 74 77 69; R Kakko (Fin) 73 71 75 70; G Davies (Eng) 70 75 71 73; J Kehoe (Irl) 71 71 72 75; D Park (Wal) 71 71 73 74; P Streeter (Eng) 72 73 76 68; B Evans (Eng) 71 73 76 69;
290 K Sullivan (Wal) 72 72 76 70; A Butterfield (Eng) 69 74 73 74; L James (Eng) 71 73 75 71; D Marmion (Eng) 72 71 71 76; T Dykes (Wal) 70 74 73 73; M Pilkington (Wal) 71 74 72 73; L Gagli (Ita) 72 72 70 76;
291 D Higgins (Irl) 66 74 77 74; I Van Weerelt (Ned) 70 72 77 72; B Miarka (Ger) 72 73 73 73; A Rocha (Bra) 70 74 75 72; W Besseling (Ned) 67 74 74 76; A Bernadet (Fra) 69 73 78 71;
292 P O'Keeffe (Irl) 72 71 78 71; D Horsey (Eng) 69 75 76 72;
293 P Nilbrink (Nor) 72 73 74 74; R Steiner (Aut) 72 73 74 74; R Rock (Eng) 73 71 69 80; M McDermott (Irl) 64 75 75 79;
294 J Ruebotham (Eng) 67 74 80 73; S Juul (Den) 74 70 74 76; G Bowden (Irl) 72 73 72 77;
295 C Smith (Wal) 72 71 76 76.