AUGUSTA, Georgia – Matthew McClean joked coming off the fourth green that he should take a screenshot of the leaderboard. The 29-year-old optometrist found himself briefly leading the 87th Masters at 2 under.
“I was flying there,” said McClean, who won the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur to earn his spot in the field.
How does an optometrist manage to get his golf in order between eye exams?
“I’m pretty much full-time golf,” he explained. “So, yeah, that’s how I fit it in, is just don’t work really.”
McClean typically works three to four months over the winter months, filling in at local offices. So far this year, however, he hasn’t done a single eye exam.
In addition to the help given by Golf Ireland, the single governing body for the island, McClean also benefits from NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) sponsorship deals. He has BelkerTech on his sleeve and the Kainos logo on his chest.
McClean, who defeated another Irishman in the Mid-Amateur final, has his sights set on the Walker Cup Sept. 2-3 at the Old Course at St. Andrews. He’ll be 30 by then.
While McClean had plans to attend DP World Tour qualifying school several years ago, those dreams were derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While his immediate goal is to play in the Walker Cup, McClean hasn’t yet decided if he will then turn professional.
“It was a good sort of good stepping stone today I think for the rest of the year,” said McClean about future plans beyond the Walker Cup.
“But I got tomorrow, obviously, and, yeah, U.S. Open in June and a few big tournaments throughout the summer and have to play well in those to make the Walker Cup, and then I’ll see where I lie in September, as to whether or not I’ll do anything further.”
The Northern Irishman is one of seven amateurs in the field of 88. He felt like he played better than his 5-over 77 scorecard reflects, noting that adrenaline played a factor on several shots.
Growing up, McClean played on provincial teams for Ireland and made it to the elite national panel, which has a dozen amateurs, four years ago.
Golf Ireland CEO Mark Kennelly said the men’s and women’s golf unions in Ireland integrated in 2021. There are about 500 players in the overall program annually and 20 coaches. The cost to fund it is 1.5 million euros annually, with 300,000 euros going to emerging professionals.
The support for each young pro, Kennelly said, depends on how many are in the program but typically amounts to around 30,000 euros.
In February, the USGA officially launched its own U.S. National Development Program, designed to create a unified pathway that nurtures top Americans through the junior and amateur ranks to the pinnacle of the sport.
Beginning this year, the program will fund 50 juniors. That number will grow each year so that by 2027, the U.S. national program will fund 1,000 juniors across the country and impact thousands more.
“The Ireland system is vital,” said McClean, one of four Irishmen in the field. “We wouldn’t get half the sort of standard of payers coming out of Ireland if we didn’t have it.
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