In the last PGA in Ireland event of the campaign, Neil O’Briain delivered the shot of the year to defeat Niall Kearney and win the Annesley Williams PGA 9-Hole Matchplay title for the second time in three years at Sutton Golf Club.
Standing in the heart of the 9th fairway with 176 yards, O’Briain hit the six iron of his life to six feet and holed the putt to deliver his first birdie of the final at the perfect time.
“It feels great, I had some great matches over the weekend,” said O’Briain who did it the hard way after losing his opening group match and coming through a playoff against Richie O’Donovan to get into the knockout stages and extra holes against Colm Moriarty in the semi-final.
“It’s a brilliant event and we all really enjoy it. I lost my first match against James Quinlivan and you’re kind of thinking I’m finished for the weekend but luckily snuck through a playoff and played lovely today. Hit a great shot into the last to beat Niall and held the putt. Delighted now, a great way for the match to finish on the last.”
At the end of a tiresome week where players battled extremely strong winds, birdies were hard to come by in the final. A couple of fluffed chips saw O’Briain of Roganstown give away cheap holes to Kearney.
But the gap never got beyond one hole and he responded brilliantly to his iffy start with a dart to the par-3 5th and his birdie putt was conceded after Kearney made a bogey.
Both players traded clutch up and downs on the 6th and 8th to send the match down the last.
O’Brian having gone out of bounds in his semi final, found the middle of the fairway while Kearney bailed out left. O’Brian piled the pressure on with his magnificent approach to a bellowing roar from the large crowd, before Kearney went over the back of the green.
To Kearney’s credit he left his putt from off the green to gimme distance leaving the stage clear for O’Brian who holed with conviction and confidence to seal his second crown here.
“It’s been a rough day, the heart can’t take anymore to be honest!” he laughed. The tee shot is very demanding into off the left and OB right and Sutton on the left so you can be forgiven for hitting left. But if you do then you have a very difficult approach so I got into position with the tee shot.
“Had 176 left into off the left and hit six-iron draw, tried to commit as much as I could and it came off straight at the flag and rolled up close. It was just a case of committing to my line and luckily it went into the hole for me.”
The former Sunshine Tour pro considers Sutton a home from home so it’s no surprise that this is a special win for him.
“I love the golf course, my parents house is in Sutton. I didn’t play my junior golf here but I would have played here a lot as a kid. I love it here, a few holes suit my eye I wouldn’t play it like some of the young fellas who hit the ball a long way but I always enjoy playing this place.”
