Major challenge for Maybin
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
BALLYCLARE Golf Club's Gareth Maybin recently achieved his ambition - the 28 year old is about to play professional golf on the main European Tour. The first part of the tour actually will take him to three different continents.
Speaking about his jet-setting schedule last week, Gareth said he was travelling to Hong Kong on Friday to hopefully play in the Hong Kong Open which was due this week.
He said that afterwards he will travel to Australia and then South Africa to play in top tournaments there. That will take him to Christmas and then he will be back in Europe for the various Tour events.
Gareth added that this was a very big challenge but he was looking forward to be playing at the same level as Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke, plus the regulars on the Tour from across the world.
To play professional golf at the highest level has been his reward as he has continued to move up the ladder. As an amateur the former Larne Grammar pupil was the first Ballyclare golfer to win the prestigious North of Ireland Amateur title followed by selection for Ulster and Ireland as well as playing in the British and European amateur championships.
Gareth then won a golf scholarship to the University of South Alabama in the U.S.A. where he became number 1 on their team as they dominated collegiate golf in the Southern states.
After graduating he spent about two and a half years on the Hooters Pro Tour in the U.S.A. and recorded several very good finishes, having turned pro in 2005.
For the past year he has been playing fairly regularly in Europe on the Challenge Tour and recently finished in fourth place having winnings of over 115 thousand Euros. The Challenge Tour was won recently by English golfer David Horsey.
For Gareth this was another big step-up as in 2007 he had finished in 49th place on the Challenge Tour.
In the last event of the year's Challenge Tour - the Grand Final at Apulia San Domenico in Italy on 25th October he was the best Irish golfer and ended joint 19th after rounds of 69, 70, 68 and 73 to be 6 under par.
In late August he was fourth in the Ypsilon Challenge and on 18th October he was forty-four in the Diehl-Pro Open.
Gareth's greatest success this season was out in China where he won the Chinese Qingdao Open, part of the Challenge Tour. This victory made him number 1 on the Challenge Tour and an automatic place on the 2008-09 main European Tour.
In 2007 the Ballyclare golfer again hit the headlines when he was selected for Ireland in golf World Cup which actually was also played in China.
Gareth, who has been living in Doagh for the last few months, was featured recently on B.B.C. t.v. practising at the Ballyclare Club alongside his good friend Colin Lyttle who is the club professional.
Before heading off to the Far East, Gareth explained how travelling and long haul flights have become an essential part of his lifestyle. He also has to engage the services of a caddy for these major tournaments.
Very few of the members of Ballyclare Golf Club who can remember the short 9 hole course and old wooden clubhouse, could have envisaged a local member playing on the top tour in the game. Everyone at the Springvale Road club wish Gareth best wishes for the big events which lie ahead.
