Young gun Gareth Maybin is hoping to blast the opposition in the last chance saloon for Walker Cup hopefuls - the Irish Close Championship.

The Ballyclare hot-shot needs to outdo rivals Noel Fox, Colm Moriarty and Justin Kehoe to grab the attention of the Walker Cup selectors.

An outstanding winner of the North of Ireland title last year, 22 year old Maybin is an even better player now after a stellar season of college golf in the US.

But he needs to win the blue riband of Irish golf which begins in Tramore today (Sat) and then follow it up with a top showing for Ireland in the European Team Championships next month.

He said: "The Walker cup has been the main goal for me this year - big time. So I need a result in Tramore, which means winning. At this stage of the year second place doesn't do anything."

The top players in the country will be battling it out at the classic Waterford parkland course where the premium will be on accuracy and putting.

US Open-style, six-inch high rough has been allowed to grow up around the greens and with the fairways giving little run, it will play every inch of its 6,621 yards.

After 36 holes of strokeplay, the top 64 players will pair off for matchplay combat as they bid to emulate Ryder Cup stars Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Philip Walton win the Irish Amateur title.

And for a player with ambitions to turn professional, Maybin badly wants to add his name to that illustrious list.

He said: "With the Close it's pretty much like a sprint. You try to qualify as high as you can, then it's matchplay over 18 holes where the guy that makes the most putts will win."

Maybin led the qualifiers at Rosses Point in 2001 but crashed out in the second round as Gavin McNeill went on to beat Stephen Browne in the decider.

Last year at Carlow he was amongst the top qualifiers but lost in round one in a bad year for the favourites.

Now he's determined to go all the way after making a name for himself on the college scene for the University of Southern Alabama.

Maybin was ranked 28th in the US college golf rankings this season, following in the footsteps of fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell who was the top man in 2001.

His average score of 71.82 helped him to win three tournaments this season and earn an All American honourable mention as one of the men to watch.

He's been rubbing shoulders with future stars Hunter Mahan, Ricky Barnes, DJ Trahan and Troy Matteson and dreams that one day he will join the professional ranks.

"This season has been a big plus for me," he said. "Trying to make the Walker Cup team has been great for my game. Even if it doesn't work out it's definitely helped me a lot. My game has improved, my fitness has improved and should hold me in good stead for the future.

"I wanted to get on one of the three All American teams but an honourable mention was pretty good. I finished 28th in the ranking so I definitely think I've improved. I work with a couple of pretty good people out there , including my coach Jim Johnson.

"I also work with a flexibility guy to get more suppleness and balance. All the weights I have been doing got my body out of balance. But he has right again and hopefully that will help me gain more consistency and better results."

Playing off plus two, Maybin is taking a degree in sports management that should give him a safety net if he fails to make it as a professional.

He explained: "I have year and a semester to go in college. I'll be there for another year and a half in Mobile, Alabama, right on the Gulf coast. It's a beautiful place."

If everything goes well his long term plan is to try and make a living at the game.

He said: "I'd love to come back to Europe and try the tour school. The good thing is that you can go to the tour school these days and still hold on to your amateur status.

"But I want to graduate first. It was good to play the North last year and win it so near to home with so many friends there. It was my biggest win so far although the ones in the States were pretty big too."

Since his return from the States in mid May, Maybin missed the cut in the St Andrews Links Trophy and then lost in the second round of the Amateur Championship in Troon.

But he still believes that it is not too late to convince Walker Cup skipper Garth McGimpsey that he can be an asset to the team.

"I'll see the selectors again in the European Team amateur in Holland but I need a result in Tramore first. I've been working on my putting and looking for a few new keys and I've been using a mental coach to help me stay positive and preparing and practise better. Hopefully all the little things will come together and I will get a few results."

Maybin's moment of truth arrives at the Waterford course today.

(Portmarnock)
The controversy over the Equal Status Act won't affect the Nissan Irish Open at Portmarnock next month.

The Equality Authority has decided to take a test case against the Dublin club because they feel that their men-only membership policy may be in breach of the Equal Status Act.

But Portmarnock has counter-attacked by taking their case to the High Court in an action that could take months to resolve.

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© Brian Keogh 2003

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