Jamie Fletcher keeps cool as David Kitt launches late surge at Irish Amateur Close

Warrenpoint’s Jamie Fletcher kept a cool head to hold off a late rally from Athenry teenager David Kitt and win the AIG Irish Amateur Close by one hole at a sun-splashed Galway.

The 21-year old, former Boys international, confessed that he once struggled to keep his emotions in check on the golf course.

But thanks to his Barton Shield and AIG Irish Senior Cup experiences with his club, he became the third Warrenpoint man to win the Irish Close title in the last 37 years.

After following in the footsteps of 1980 winner Ronan Rafferty and 1991 champion Gary McNeill, Fletcher said: “Unbelievable. It feels like a pressure lifted off my shoulders. I have seen my game come on in the last few years by playing Senior Cup and Barton Shield. When the whole club is down watching you, you get used to the pressure. If I made a mistake before, I’d get annoyed. Now I stay calm. It feels class to win.”

Fletcher beat Castleknock’s Paul Coughlan 2 and 1 in the morning semi-finals as 17-year old Kitt defeated Belvoir Park’s Marc Nolan by the same margin.

The Warrenpoint man was favourite for the title having won the Faldo Series Ireland in 2015 and last year’s North of Ireland Amateur Strokeplay.

But he didn’t have it all his way in the final against Kitt, who came back from three down with four to play to take the match to the 18th.

The teenager three-putted the fifth to go one down then bogeyed the sixth after overshooting the green to fall two holes behind.

He could have been three down after seven holes but played an exquisite pitch stone dead to halve the hole as Fletcher three-putted.

But after making a 10 footer to force Fletcher to hole from six feet for a half in birdies at the eighth, Kitt made a slick 15 footer for birdie at the 10th to reduce the deficit to just one hole. The young Galway talent was giving up more than 60 yards to Fletcher off the tee and made life difficult for himself by missing three times inside four feet.

Following his three-putt at the fifth, he three-putted the 12th and 14th to find himself three down with four to go, but to his credit, he did not give up.

Fletcher drove behind a tree at the 15th and bogeyed, then took two to escape from greenside sand at the 16th and racked up a double bogey six to see his lead reduced to just one up.

The champion showed class on the run home, however, two putting for par at the 17th before hitting a smooth, 155-yard eight iron to 25 feet at the 18th after Kitt had overshot the green by a yard.

AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship, Galway GC semi-finals:

Jamie Fletcher (Warrenpoint) bt Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) 2/1; David Kitt (Athenry) bt Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) 2/1.

Final: Fletcher bt Kitt 1 hole.

Killarney were crowned ILGU Senior Cup Champions for the first time in the club’s history at Royal Curragh on Saturday after a 4-1 victory over Royal Portrush.