GOLF:THE FIRST strokeplay staging in the 118-year history of the Irish Amateur Close Championship, sponsored by Golfsure, can be declared a resounding success following Paul Cutler's two-stroke win in blustery conditions at sylvan Shannon Golf Club.
The 22-year-old from Portstewart has emerged as Ireland’s top amateur in recent years and it was fitting that he should capture the blue riband title with a birdie-par-birdie finish and the joint-lowest score of the final round.
Tied for the lead with Castlerock’s Aaron Kearney, Limerick’s Pat Murray and Muskerry’s Niall Gorey on three over par after a morning 77, the quiet-spoken Ulsterman was under pressure coming down the stretch.
But he birdied the 16th to edge in front, and then followed a par at the tough, par-three 17th with a cool birdie the par-five last for a one-under 71 and a two-over-par aggregate of 290.
The winner of the West of Ireland title at Easter, he became the first player to complete the West-Close double since Rory McIlroy in 2006, and must now be considered a certainty to represent Britain and Ireland in September’s Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen.
He also gained many friends for the manner in which he called a shot on himself on the ninth in the third round, when his ball moved fractionally as he tried to identify it after a visit to the trees.
That resulted in a triple-bogey seven that could have unhinged a lesser player. But Cutler remained calm and produced quality golf when it counted in a cavalry charge final round.
“Irish Close champion has a very nice ring to it,” he said. “I really struggled this morning, so I am really glad I came through in the end.
“The change to the strokeplay format this year played into my hands a little more and I’d be all in favour of the change. Although I won the West of Ireland title at matchplay, I prefer strokeplay.”
One under par to the turn after mixing birdies at the second, third and eighth with bogeys at the fifth and seventh, Cutler found himself one clear of 24-year-old Castlerock talent Aaron Kearney on two over par.
When he bogeyed the 12th and 15th, he discovered that he was tied for the lead with Murray, who had birdied the 17th and 18th to set the clubhouse target at four over par with a closing 73.
Cutler birdied the 16th with a brilliant nine-iron to five feet and parred the 17th, only to hear that Kearney had recovered from a triple bogey at the 14th and had a chance to beat Murray’s total when he birdied the 16th and then reduced the the 507-yard 18th to a drive and a wedge.
However, Kearney lipped out with his eagle effort from eight feet and tied with Murray on four-over 292 after a 73.
Needing only a par five for victory, Cutler found the left side of the fairway, skipped through the front bunker in two and got up and down from just off the green for a closing birdie four and a comfortable victory
“I knew I needed to perform on the last few holes and produce a good finish,” Cutler said.
