Patrick Adler came to Lahinch for the first time as a youngster in the early 2010’s and dreamed of one day winning a title on the famous Clare course and now at the age of 21 the dream has come true for this year’s Pierse Motors Volkswagen South of Ireland Amateur Open Champion.

Four contenders did battle on championship Sunday in Lahinch with a mixture of youth and experience all vying to become the 122nd South of Ireland Champion. Adler was the first to play in his semi-final match against 53-year-old veteran and 2012 champion Pat Murray (Tramore).

The American using his distance and accuracy to build up an early lead, going four up through six before Murray steadied the ship and brought it back to three on the seventh. Adler though was not to be bested as a four on ten and a five on 12 were enough to see him win 5&4, advancing to his first ever South final.

The American had some time to wait before he learned who his opponent in the final would be as the match between Brian Doran (Millicent) and Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle) went down to the wire.

Doran began brightly taking the first and sixth hole in four to go two up. Hill fought back, winning the seventh with a birdie and the ninth with a four, with the pair turning for home all square. The match remained that way until 12 and 13 where the Millicent golfer found his groove winning both holes before Hill mounted a late comeback, taking 15. Doran however held his nerve, halving all the way to the clubhouse, advancing to the final with a 1up win.

At two o’clock on Sunday afternoon Adler and Doran teed off in the Final, one more victory away from glory. The momentum swung back and forth in the early going, the pair halving the first before trading wins all the way to the eighth where Adler began to take control, birdieing three in a row across eight, nine and ten. The North Shore USA golfer playing his way to be three up through 12.

Doran did battle back and the finalists traded wins once again with Doran taking 13, Adler winning 14 and Doran responding again on 15. It was on 16 though where the title was decided, a hole which had been a memorable one for the young American the day before when he carded an ace to win his quarter-final in style. Both players though left themselves with work to do, missing the green short right, Doran with a chip from just off the green, Adler with a shot from the bunker.

“I actually wrote something in my book right before it,” said Adler.