Matthew masters all in Munster Boys triumph

Matthew masters all in Munster Boys triumph

6 August 2014

IT was a case of like father, like son when Ardglass Golf Club’s Matthew Fitzsimons emulated the feats of his father Ciaran when winning the Munster Boys U-18 Championship at Ballybunnion Golf Club last week.

The 16 year-old lifted the title after a play-off 33 years to the day his father was crowned champion at the very same golf club. In fact, this was the first time that Ballybunnion hosted the championship since 1981 when Ciaran was crowned champ.

The 6’ 7” sultan of swing, who recently won the inaugural Ulster U-16 Championship held at Kirkistown Golf Club, produced four rounds of spectacularly steady golf, never once reaching for a wood during the entire competition.

Matthew is also following in the footsteps of his team-mate at Ardglass, Irish international and former Irish champion Cormac Sharvin who has been a mentor and role model to the young golfers at Ardglass, as is club professional Paul Vaughan.

An opening round score of 73 was followed 24 hours later with a nine over par 81. A 68 on day three and a 74 on the fourth day left Matthew in a play-off for the title with Tralee’s Rory Hill and Belvoir Park’s Marc Norton.

With the nerve ends jangling, Matthew halved the first, won the second with a par from 15 feet and then hit a two iron to within six feet of the pin to win the decisive hole and the championship.