Ryder Cup thoughts help duo win American Golf 9-hole title

KEVIN Commins summoned up thoughts of Christy O’Connor Jnr’s famous 2-iron in the Ryder Cup as he teamed up with Thomas Muldoon to be crowned American Golf 9-hole champions.

The Irish duo, who fell at the semi-final stage at the inaugural tournament last year, went one better this time around.

They beat Steve and James Hodgson 1 up over the Brabazon’s famous back 9 at The Belfry.

Holding a slender lead down the iconic last, and with all four shots safely on the fairway, Commins found himself with 215 yards to the flag and a 5-iron in his hands.

“I couldn’t help but think of Christy O’Connor’s famous shot to beat Fred Couples from the same spot in the 1989 Ryder Cup,” he said.

“As soon as I hit it I knew it couldn’t have gone better and that we’d have at least two putts to win the match.”

Commins and Muldoon, from Ardee in County Louth, came through following months of qualifying events all around the UK and Ireland and four absorbing 9-hole rounds.

Having come so close 12 months ago, they came over to the West Midlands a month early to play the course.

With high winds causing problems in the first round and heavy rain saturating the second, Commins and Muldoon shot 20 and 24 points to qualify for the match play stages.

Defending champions Mark Kelly and Luke Eustace, from Selby, were seen off at the 9^th hole in the semi-final.

The Hodgsons also secured a narrow win over Denis O’Brien and James Keen.

Commins added: “American Golf have given us the chance to play competition golf at an amazing venue and they’ve looked after us so well.

“It cost us more to get our golf clubs here than everything else put together for this weekend.

“We’ve been treated like tour pros and would encourage anyone to enter to get a chance to experience the same.”