GARETH SHAW planted his foot firmly on the first rung of the professional golfing ladder when he closed with a three-under-par 69 to share fourth place in the Challenge of Ireland at Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club near Athlone.
Playing on a sponsor's invitation in just his second start in the paid ranks, the 22-year-old former North of Ireland champion finished two strokes behind Australian Andrew Tampion, who claimed his maiden victory by storming through the field with a 67 for an eight-under-par total of 280 and a one-stoke win over England's Richard Bland and Scot David Drysdale.
Shaw's fellow Ulsterman Gareth Maybin consolidated his place in the top-20 money winners who will earn European Tour cards at the end of the season when he equalled the best round of the day with a 67 to claim a share of ninth place on five under par.
But Shaw's bogey-free closing round and subsequent top-10 finish earned him the right to tee it up in Norway this week, and edged him close to the top 100 in the rankings who will get to play in lucrative events in China and Kazakhstan next month.
After a stellar collegiate career with East Tennessee State University, the Lisburn native watched several amateur rivals make a successful transition to the paid ranks, and here he confirmed he has the game to make it.
"You look at Joel Sjoholm or Jonas Blixt, who I played against a lot on the amateur circuit college, and have come out and done well," said Shaw, who joined Graeme McDowell in the Horizon Sports Management stable last month. "They were at a similar level to me, so that assured me that I was good enough. If they can do it, there is no reason why I can't. I have played them and beaten them before.
"I didn't really know what to expect when I turned professional, but I now know that I have got the game to compete out here. I got a few nice text messages from guys like GMac (Graeme McDowell) and my manager, Conor Ridge, and some friends, advising me to play my own game and that's what I've tried to do. So far so good."
Five behind Scotland's Richie Ramsay starting the final round, Melbourne native Tampion (23), scorched to the turn in five-under 31 thanks to four successive birdies from the sixth, and he holed a slippery, 12-foot birdie putt at the last to post the target.
Bland and Blixt failed with birdie putts at the last to force a play-off, while Ramsay needed to birdie the last two holes to draw level but kissed his hopes goodbye when he missed a three-footer for a four at the par-five 17th.
"It definitely gives me a boost to get back on the European Tour next year," said Tampion, who moved to 25th in the rankings thanks to a cheque for €24,000.
"It feels great but it hasn't really sunk in yet. I've been playing really well lately but not putting as well as I can, so to finally hole some putts today and to win my first event is a fantastic feeling."
