Arthur’s birdie a Killarney winner

IN A true fairytale finish, 17 year-old Jason Arthur holed an eight foot putt for a birdie two on the last green at Galway Golf Club yesterday to clinch a first ever Bulmers Irish Junior Cup for Killarney Golf Club.

It was a highly emotional moment for the youngster’s father, James, who had to endure some pointed criticism throughout the campaign for playing his son at the expense of more seasoned campaigners but who had his judgment fully vindicated in convincing fashion.

Killarney, who were also managed by James Arthur when they lost in the final to Downpatrick 15 years ago, came good this time at the expense of a fine Co Louth team in an absorbing contest that went down to the last putt on the last green.

“I made a mistake last year when I didn’t give a place to a young fella and I wasn’t going to make the same mistake again”, explained Arthur senior, who is caddy master at the Killarney club and is known far and wide as ‘The Wedge’.

“I was told several times that I was favouring my seven-handicap son but I knew he would deliver and I knew that Rory O’Sullivan, who is only 18, would do likewise. This means everything to us. We had a panel of seven, today’s five along with John Brosnan and James (The Rock) O’Neill, and they worked together as a team and they’ve now had their reward.”

Everything appeared to be going smoothly for Killarney in the early stages before Co Louth rallied midway through to ensure a nail-biting finish. Young O’Sullivan again came up trumps in a battle of the teenagers against Shane Gannon before David Doggett levelled proceedings with a good win over David O’Donoghue. The issue seemed to be edging in favour of Co Louth when Pat McCaffrey inflicted the first defeat of the campaign on George McKenzie Vass especially as Brendan O’Toole had fallen two behind in the top match against Ronan Branigan and Arthur had forfeited a two hole lead against Michael Kierans by losing the 15th and 16th to pars.

The 34 year-old O’Toole, however, is made of stern stuff. A graduate of the University of Limerick who spent more than four years in Japan, he went into the match with a 100 record from his previous seven outings in the competition. He hit a superb two iron into the wind and on to the green at the 15th to cut his arrears to one and then birdied the long 16th to get back to level pegging. The pressure told on Branigan, who was also unbeaten before yesterday, and he lost his third successive hole at the 17th where his tee shot found trees on the left of the fairway. O’Sullivan chipped and putted for his par to regain the lead and found a bogey sufficient to see him to an all-important victory on the 18th.

Everything now depended on young Jason Arthur - or ”Lob Wedge” as he is popularly known in Killarney - in his contest with Kierans. Those who feared his nerve was failing were reassured by the manner in which he hit two fine shots on to the 17th, a hole that was halved in two perfectly played par fours. Kierans had the honour on the 18th., a par three of 203 yards into a strong wind. He hit a lovely metal wood to 25 feet and when Arthur opted for a three iron, it was reasonable to wonder if he had sufficient club.

Again he proved he not only had a sound golf game but also an old head on young shoulders as he drilled a majestic shot to within eight feet. Kierans putted up stone dead for his par but could only stand idly by as the Killarney youngster unnervingly rolled his putt into the hole for a Championship winning and history making birdie two.