Different Strokes: Matt McClean’s US Mid Amateur win opens a myriad of opportunities

Matt McClean’s rewards for his victory in the US Mid Amateur Championship – where he became just the second non-American winner – are set to keep the Ulsterman busy.

Apart from the physical reminders of his victory, over Dubliner Hugh Foley in an all-Irish final, which included a gold medal and custody of the Robert T Jones Memorial Trophy for a year, McClean’s knock-on benefits include exemptions into next year’s US Open at Los Angeles Country Club, exemptions into the 2023 and 2024 US Amateur and exemption into next year’s US Mid Amateur … and, going on history, an invitation into next year’s Masters at Augusta National.

McClean – and the vanquished Foley – is also in a strong position to claim a place on next year’s Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team for a match that will be played on the Old Course at St Andrews next September.

While McClean remained on in the USA for a well-earned holiday in the Chicago area, Foley returned home to Dublin, but with some work left on his golfing season in a year in which he lifted both the North of Ireland and South of Ireland championships in heading the Bridgestone order of merit.

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The Royal Dublin golfer intends to play a qualifying event in Paris next week for the Mallorca Open on the European Tour and will also play in the Concession Cup at Valderrama in mid-November.

Seven Irish golfers enter head off to Tour School

No fewer than seven Irish players are involved in the European Tour’s qualifying Stage One tournament in Bogogno in Italy this week, part of the long road towards the Final Q-School which takes place in Spain on November 11th-16th.

The drawn-out process features nine Stage One tournaments (this is the sixth) with those competing looking to advance onwards to Stage Two which takes place at four venues in Spain in early November.

The septet of Irishmen looking to advance from this week’s four round tournament include former British Amateur champion James Sugrue, former Walker Cup player Paul McBride, Conor O’Rourke, Jonathan Yates, Rowan Lester, Darren McHale and Michael Young.

Word of Mouth

“I’ve had a lot of people tell me that if the LIV guys didn’t leave, I wouldn’t have made the Presidents Cup team. So I had a little bit of a chip on my shoulder this week” – Max Homa on using extra motivation in successfully defending his Fortinet Championship on the PGA Tour in dramatic circumstances after holing out from a bunker on the 72nd hole and then seeing Danny Willett three-putt from four feet.

By the numbers: 8/126

The return of the Women’s Irish Open, sponsored by KPMG, to the Ladies’ European Tour schedule after a 10-year absence takes place at Dromoland Castle in Co Clare, starting on Thursday. There are eight Irish players – two professional, six amateur – in the 126 woman field for the 72 holes tournament. Leona Maguire, the world number 18, is the headline act while Victoria Craig, who plays on the Access Tour, has received a sponsor’s invitation. The six Irish amateurs are: Olivia Costello, Kate Lanigan, Katie Poots, Marina Joyce Moreno, Aideen Walsh and Rebekah Gardner.

On this day: September 20th, 1981

The build-up to the Ryder Cup at Walton Heath in Surrey, England, had been marked by controversy before a ball was hit: Seve Ballesteros was omitted from the European team due to an ongoing dispute about appearance money, and Tony Jacklin was not selected.

By the time of Sunday’s final day of singles, the destination of the trophy was all but assured. The opening two days of foursomes and fourballs had seen the USA move into a comprehensive 10½ to 5½ lead over a European team that featured two Irish players, Eamonn Darcy and Des Smyth. The main damage had been inflicted in the Saturday fourballs, in which the Americans had a clean sweep.

The singles was also dominated by the visiting Americans – 8-4 – which gave them a winning total of 18½ to 9½. The occasions also marked the sixth and final playing appearance by Jack Nicklaus in the match, and he emerged with four points from his four matches including a 5 and 3 win over Darcy in the singles.

In the Bag: Max Homa (Fortinet Championship)

Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees)

3-wood: Titleist TSR3 (16.5 degrees)

5-wood: Titleist TSR2 (21 degrees)

Irons: Titleist T100s (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 620 MB (6-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46, 50, 56 and 60 degrees)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 Prototype

Ball: Titleist ProV1

Twitter Twaddle

– Danny Willett showing a touch of class after three-putting from four feet on the 72nd hole to lose out by a stroke to Max Homa in the Fortinet Championship, the first event of the PGA Tour’s wraparound 2022/’23 season.

– Bob MacIntrye after beating Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff for the Italian Open.

– Golf coach Hank Haney prophesising doom for Trevor Immelman’s team in the Presidents Cup.

Know the Rules

Q In strokeplay, Player A played from outside the teeing area and hit his ball out of bounds. He plays another ball from the correct teeing area. What is the ruling?

A The player gets only two penalty strokes under Rule 6.1b and so his next stroke from the tee will be his third. The ball played from outside the teeing area was not in play and so the fact that it came to rest out of bounds was irrelevant and the stroke itself did not count.