Sugrue rides wave of home excitement to Amateur final
Sporting gesture.......James Sugrue (Mallow) and David Micheluzzi (Australia) fist pumping after both birdied the 14th hole in the semi final of the 2019 The Amateur Championship at Portmarnock Golf Club today (21/06/2019). Picture by Pat Cashman
It's been 73 years since Cork's Jimmy Bruen brought the Amateur Championship back to Ireland for the first time. Now Mallow's James Sugrue will bring a huge Cork crowd to Dublin to today when he takes on Scot Euan Walker in the 36-hole final at Portmarnock.
The beefy 22-year old is the embodiment of laid-back athletic confidence and power. But beneath the laid back exterior he has the heart of a lion and the putting touch of an artist.
"That is what I was waiting for all year," he said of his putting. "I have been striping it around but having 37 putts, and not getting the most out of it. Today at least, on a fairly big stage, the putter was hot."
Straight from the tee and gifted around the greens, he produced two sensational victories in front of burgeoning home crowd and can now dare to dream of the prizes that await the winner — starts in The Open next month and the Masters and the US Open next year.
“It’s unbelievable. It hasn’t sunk in yet. To think if I win tomorrow I’ll be playing in major championships like The Open is incredible. I’m really, really delighted.
James Sugrue (Mallow) in rough at the 13th hole in the semi final of the 2019 The Amateur Championship at Portmarnock Golf Club today (21/06/2019). Picture by Pat Cashman
"I know I have 36 holes tomorrow but it’s hard not to think about things when you have a massive, massive prize at the end. But I’m going to try and keep my cool and play it hole by hole tomorrow."
"You think about it in bed at night," he added yesterday as the crowd drifted away happily to chatter about a hugely enjoyable day's golf that saw him fight back to beat the Dutchman Koen Kouwenaar on the 19th in the quarter-finals before seeing off a budding star in Australian world number seven David Micheluzzi by 3&1 in the semi-finals.
"It's a bit of a cliché but you do. We were talking about an amateur sport and it's probably the best prize you can win this — to play in the Open, the Masters. When you say it, it sounds a bit weird but having the chance to do it is great."
A former Connacht Boys and Munster Youths winner, he was considered something of an underachiever until his win at Lahinch in 2017.
But he's used that victory as a platform to become an established international and he now has a chance to become Ireland's seventh Amateur champion, 73 years after fellow Corkman Bruen became the first.
Ranked 249th in the world, he's decompressed in the evenings by heading down to Portmarnock strand with his caddie to puck a sliotar around. And while his friend's car was broken into on Thursday evening and items were stolen, his clubs were safe and sound in his own vehicle and he wielded them like offensive weapons yesterday.
While his fellow international, Galway's Ronan Mullarney fell to England's Benjamin Jones by 3&1 in the quarters, Sugrue refused to go down against Kouwenaar.
One down with two holes to go after an error at the 16th, he looked doomed when he drove into sand at the 17th but got up and down from 140 yards to salvage a half in par, then made a 15 footer for birdie at the 18th before winning the 19th with a par four.
As news of his progress spread, the crowds swarmed to Portmarnock and Sugrue proved up the task against the classy Micheluzzi, his short game yielding wins in par at the eighth, 10th and 11th to give him a three-hole lead.
When Micheluzzi won the 13th in par to reduce the deficit and then birdied the 14th from 15 feet, it appeared the match could go the distance.
But he sportingly fist-bumped his rival when Sugrue followed him in from 10 feet for a half, and loooked on wryly when he saved par at the 16th to remain two up and then closed out the match at the 17th.
The Australian drove into deep rough and hacked out as Sugure hit a blistering, 250-yard three-wood to the apron that set up a deserved win
"That was the coolest round I have ever played," the Australian said. "It beats the Aussie Open, the Vic Open, the Japan Open, all of them. The atmosphere was just unreal.
Oh my God. If they don't have an Open here, I will be pretty angry,” he said. "I have played courses like Royal St George's and St Andrews and this is too good. The condition is mint. I mean, this is a test.
"I didn't shoot under par this week and I thought I played pretty good in the later matches. I didn't come close. It was so brutal.
"It was just intimidating with the rough. You were just trying to thread it through the rough, I can't even explain it. It's just a brute.”
He added: "With the rough being this long, it will test the best players in the world. Those two courses – The Island and Portmarnock – both in pure condition — are some of the best golf courses I’ve played. Awesome. An absolute treat for us Aussies to come over and play.”
Sugrue is taking it all in his stride but with huge crowds following his every move, he's determined to enjoy it.
"It's the most people I've ever seen out on a golf course following one group" he said. "It was amazing to be fair, and great experience and just happy that I didn't let them all down.”
Kilmarnock man Walker beat Jones 2&1 but he will be facing a man with a wand in his hand and the crowd on his side.
“I’ve been working hard for so long, so to achieve this and to finally get to this stage in such a big event is absolutely amazing,” said the Scot, who came from four down to beat Waterford’s Eanna Griffin in the second round on Wednesday.
“It was tough to play against Sandy as we are obviously good friends. I think we both played well this morning and it was a shame for either of us to lose. I actually think he got very unfortunate at the first extra hole, which I didn’t realise at the time. He was in a divot and that caused him difficulty with his approach.
“It could have gone either way again this afternoon against Ben. The quality of the golf was not as good but I think that was mainly because of the conditions as it was much windier this afternoon. It was back and forth and I felt on 13 that I finally got the edge.
“I’m just going to have to try and handle the home crowds tomorrow. I’ve never been in this situation before when everyone is going to be rooting against me, although I’m not quite sure if that will be true. I’ll just need to focus on my mental outlook and stay strong. It’s amazing to have major championships on the line. A win tomorrow would top my career.”
