David Kitt said “the first one was so nice, I had to do it twice” as the Athenry golfer completed a wire-to-wire victory at Hilton Templepatrick to claim the Ulster Men’s Stroke Play Amateur Open Championship, securing his second regional title in as many months.
The 26-year-old, who won the Murray Timber Group Connacht Men’s Stroke Play Championship in June, signed for rounds of 68, 70 and a closing 74 to secure an eight-shot victory at the County Antrim venue.
“Feels great to win it,” said Kitt.
“They’re not easy to get your hands on.”
“It’s such a demanding course. Yesterday, early on I rode my luck a small bit then putted really well coming in to make some good birdies. Today it wasn’t even too dissimilar, just out of position once or twice and you’re doing well to make bogeys. In general, a lot of solid golf.”
Kitt began the final round with a five-shot lead over Warrenpoint’s Rían Carvill and despite opening with a bogey on the first, quickly steadied himself with a birdie at the second before adding another at the ninth to tighten his grip on the trophy.
Carvill had played his way into contention after a second round 70 on Thursday afternoon, but bogeys at the second and the eighth saw the 24-year-old slip further back as Kitt stretched his lead to six shots heading to the back nine.
Having carded six birdies on the back nine across his opening two rounds, Kitt looked set to ease his way to victory. However, bogeys at 11 and 12 briefly opened the door for the chasing pack as he slipped back to four under par.
The championship swung firmly back in Kitt’s favour at the 13th however, as Carvill’s challenge all but ended with a triple bogey seven, restoring Kitt’s six shot lead.
Despite another bogey on 15, Kitt parred 16 and 17 before adding a final flourish with a birdie on 18 to secure what was, in the end, a comfortable victory.
“It kind of sums up golf,” said Kitt.
“I don’t know the exact number, but I’ve been on a great run of not missing cuts for years and I missed the cut in the Irish Am this year and I was really dejected. It’s amazing then a few weeks later, after winning two championships, it just shows you that if you keep persevering through it you just don’t know when your turn will come.”
View the final scores here
