Sinclair makes his presence felt for win

Men's Home Internationals: In this game, nothing can be taken for granted, writes Philip Reid at Ballybunion.

Yesterday, on the first day of the men's amateur Home Internationals, as a stiff south-westerly wind whipped in off the Atlantic to make creative shot-making an imperative attribute on the old course at Ballybunion, Ireland - without a win in this championship for over a decade - rode a roller-coaster in their opening match with defending champions Wales before finally eking out the narrowest of successes.

"Whew, delighted to beat the holders," remarked the Irish non-playing captain Mark Gannon, who had spent the day scurrying from one match to the next as the momentum dramatically swung one way and then the other. "They're always a tough team to beat, but the lads responded well."

Indeed, Ireland opened the contest with an 8-7 win over the Welsh, while, as if to emphasise the close nature of it all, and that this is a game where chickens are never counted until the eggs have hatched, England and Scotland finished level, seven-and-a-half points apiece.

And, on days like these, heroes are born. A month ago, Michael Sinclair, the East of Ireland champion, was contemplating putting his clubs away, at least as far as competitive golf for the season was concerned.

Then, after the defections of Colm Moriarty and then Gary Maybin from the selected team, came the call-up to return to international duty - and the Knock player, who celebrated his 32nd birthday last Monday, responded magnificently.

Ireland had carried a 3-2 lead from the foursomes into the 10 singles, where they required a further five points to ensure victory . . . but that total, for a long time, proved to be elusive.

Little did Sinclair, who had trailed for much of his match with Craig Smith, know that his spirited fightback - he trailed by three holes at the turn and was still one down after 16 holes - would prove to be the vital link to Ireland securing victory over the Welsh.

Sinclair's perseverance, though, was crucial. The Ulster interprovincial player wiped out his mid-round deficit by winning the 10th, 11th and 12 holes, missed an opportunity to go ahead by letting a three-and-half-footer slide by the hole on the 14th, and then fell behind to a birdie on the 16th.

"I thought the momentum had swung his way again," admitted Sinclair, who then let his clubs do the talking by levelling the match on the 17th in par and kept the piece de resistance until the very end.

On the 18th, after playing a five-wood off the tee to the middle of the fairway, Sinclair produced a sandwedge approach to four feet. His opponent, Smith, was on the back edge and watched as his 15-foot birdie putt grazed the cup but refused to drop.

Cool as ice, Sinclair then rolled in his left-to-right putt for a one-hole win.

That Sinclair win followed other singles successes from Noel Fox, an impressive 3 and 2 winner over James Williams in the top match; Darren Crowe, who, like Fox, emerged with a 100 per cent record from his two first-day matches, who beat Alex Smith 3 and 2; and Michael McGeady, who was four-up after five holes on Cennydd Mills and never loosened his grip in winning 5 and 3.

Meanwhile, Brian McElhinney, the European amateur champion, who was two-down after 15 holes after losing back-to-back holes to birdies from Gareth Wright on the par-three 14th and 15th, showed the resolve of the Irish team by also fighting back to win the 16th and 17th holes, which proved sufficient to claim a much-needed half point.

What Sinclair's win did was to ensure Ireland could not be beaten. But the overall win was reliant on the three matches behind him on the course. As things transpired, only Mark Campbell, in the anchor match, was able to salvage the necessary half point to ensure overall success. The Stackstown player, who had been up for most of his match only to lose the 15th and 16th holes to birdies to be all-square going into the final loop, birdied the 17th to go one up on Richard Scott. In the end, he had to settle for a half as his opponent rolled in a 10-footer for birdie on the last. Still, that was enough to ensure Ireland's win in the overall match.

A strong singles showing looked as if it would give Scotland victory in their match with England. However, in the decisive match, England's Graeme Clark sank a 15-foot birdie putt from off the back edge to halve his match with Jonathan King and also halve the overall match.

For today's match with England, the Irish selectors have omitted Johnny Foster and promoted Sinclair to a starting place in the foursomes where he will partner Richard Kilpatrick.