Cian first Irishman to capture Open title

IT isn't very often that an Irish sports person sees off the best efforts of rivals from 57 other countries, but that's what happened at Royal Musselburgh yesterday when Cian McNamara, a student at Crescent College Comprehensive and a member of Limerick Golf Club, maintained his three-stroke overnight lead to become the first Irish player to capture the R&A Junior Open Championship.

McNamara, who celebrated only his 16th birthday on June 28, compiled rounds of 71, 65 and 71 for a three under par total of 207 to beat a hugely impressive Korean girl, Da Sol Chung, into 2nd place. McNamara’s 65 on Tuesday was the key element in the biennial event that has been running since 1992 and is always played at a course close to the Open Championship venue. That superb effort also brought his handicap down to scratch so that was one of his ambitions

realised in the most spectacular fashion. Protecting his overnight three-stroke lead was paramount in McNamara’s mind as he went into the final round. He finished runner-up in the Leinster Boys Championship a fortnight ago and at the 20th in the semi-final of the Ulster Boys last week, so he was determined there would be no slip-ups on this occasion.

He went out with the intention of ignoring what the others were doing and to concentrate entirely on his own game. In this, he succeeded admirably. “I lost a couple of recent tournaments by thinking too much about what the opposition were doing,” he reflected.

“I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. I’ve proved this week that I’ve got the game to win and that meant I was never too nervous throughout the three days. My father Dermot was here all through and I think he was more nervous than I was and I’d like to thank him and my mother Eleanor for the support they have given me.”

McNamara got off to shaky enough start yesterday and had his lead reduced to one after eight holes by Dane Peter Meldgaard. But a birdie at the 9th from 15 feet had a settling effect, a point crucially demonstrated at the short 12th. Meldgaard sank a 12-footer for a two, but the Limerick lad followed him in from about half that distance. When Meldgaard drove into the trees left of the 15th fairway and eventually ran up a ghastly nine, he was out of the hunt.

But Da Sol Chung - who shows every sign of following in the illustrious footsteps of fellow Koreans Se Ri Pak and Grace Park, two of the luminaries on the US Ladies Tour - was still a danger, while the English boy Laurence Allen had claimed a useful clubhouse lead of one over 211, thanks to a closing course record 64. “Peter’s (Meldgaard) nine at the 15th put him out of it but I knew the Korean girl remained a danger,” said Cian. “She is some player and indeed I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear a lot more about her in the future.”

However, there was never any danger that he would succumb to her worthy challenge over the closing holes. Three solid pars clinched the title, including a tricky six-footer on the 18th green.

Confident and self-assured he certainly is, but Cian McNamara is comfortably succeeding in his aim of not getting ahead of himself. Even though he is a certainty for selection, he refused to take anything for granted where a first Irish Boys International cap at Blairgowrie next month is concerned.

After spending the next two days at the Open Championship, he returns home tomorrow to prepare for a visit to Augsburg, Germany, on Sunday to represent Ireland in the European Young Masters tournament along with Kevin Kinsella of Waterford. Among his gallery over the three days were his father, Dermot, and Jack Lynch and Séamus Smith, respectively the president and general secretary of the GUI.

Making it an even more special occasion for Lynch was the fact that he and McNamara are both members of Limerick Golf Club. Also adding to the sense of occasion was the historic venue at which the players from as far wide as Canada and South Africa, New Zealand and Mexico.