Irish amateur golfer Matt McClean is set to realise a lifetime's ambition by playing in next month's Masters at Augusta.
McClean won the 2022 US Mid-Amateur which has afforded him the opportunity to play on Augusta's hollowed greens. He defeated close friend and room-mate Hugh Foley to lift the title. He will also feature in the U.S Open in June.
Despite the lofty heights he has recently reached he is keeping his feet firmly on the ground, "Can you go out and win it? Realistically, no. I don’t think there is any point in saying I can win, you have to live in reality,” said McClean.
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“That’s not the goal for the week. There is six or seven amateurs playing. The goal is make the cut, to be there for the Saturday and Sunday. And then what comes with that is trying to win the low amateur. That’s my tournament.”
McClean's journey to Augusta began in May 2022 when he became aware that the US Mid-am was an over-25 tournament instead of over-30 like in most parts of the globe. Thankfully his diary was uncluttered enough to allow a trip to the town of Erin in Wisconsin. McClean played alongside his great friend Hugh Foley who was on the other side of the draw.
McClean, his girlfriend Kate, and Foley booked an AirBnB for the duration of the event but as they both progressed realised they'd underestimated how long they would need. Thankfully for the trio, a freind stepped in and provided them accomodation for the rest of the tournament.
As the pair won their matches and the field was whittled down they were soon the only two left. There had never been an Irish winner this event but in 2022 it was guaranteed. McClean would take on Foley in the final. A 36-hole championship match would decide the outcome.
It was a bit surreal playing each other in the final. But at least one of us was able to win so it was a great experience and great to share it with Hugh,” said McClean.
“It was great craic. We were over for a couple of weeks down in Chicago playing a bit of golf. It was a bit more relaxed, we had fun. Hugh is great craic. We had a good few laughs. The car journeys and just even in the evenings and things like that.
“Obviously the week of the tournament was a bit more serious, it was a bit more business maybe. But that’s the way it was always going to be and that’s the way it should be.
“Even the week of the tournament it was very friendly and we had no problems at all, we don’t have any problems with each other after either – it all came together nicely in the end.”
After a tense affair the Belfast native came through a 3&1 winner. It was a victory that would transform his future.
I can remember the feeling, it comes back to my mind pretty quickly. It was a couple of things for me,” said McClean.
“I had been trying hard for the last couple of years to win a championship and I had come close a couple of times. I had a couple of really frustrating finishes not to win one. Just to cap off the last tournament of the year with winning a championship was a massive one.
“And then thinking about what you get and the prizes with it, was pretty overwhelming at the time. I didn’t really have too many words to say on the 17th green when we finished.
“I didn’t say a huge amount for a few minutes after, just trying to not show too much emotion.”
The 29-year old first picked up a golf club at 11 and is now just weeks away from playing in one of the biggest tournaments on the calendar.
“It is just that whole thing with the tradition of Augusta and the Masters. I love that tradition and those things certain golf clubs have. Augusta is up there with the number one in the world from that perspective," said McClean.
“Getting in and getting a night in there will be great. But even just in the clubhouse, there is an amateur dinner on one of the nights. You will go to the dinner and retire up to the loft of clubhouse and go to sleep, which is insane.
“Looking forward to the overall experience, it’s just the overall buzz and energy of the place. The people that are going to be walking around the grounds and the clubhouse.
“That’s one of the things that is totally un-golf related but it will definitely be a bucket list thing to be able to do.”
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