Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Redemption earned the hard way
TWELVE months ago Cormac Sharvin was on his knees after missing out on a European Tour card in gutwrenching fashion in Spain.
A two-shot penalty cost him dearly as he missed out on his playing rights by one shot in final qualifying at Tarragona.
Fast forward a year and the Ardglass golfer is celebrating a moment of redemption after securing his European Tour card for next season.
Sharvin didn’t fire on all cylinders in Mallorca, but a T35 in the season-ending Challenge Tour Grand Final saw him finish 11th in the overall rankings.
With a top-15 berth booking you a place on the main tour, the 27-year-old had room to spare as he punched his ticket for the big league in 2020.
Cormac didn’t win on this year’s Challenge Tour but enjoyed a really solid season with eight top-10 finishes. Consistency was key.
It’s an exciting time and I admire the fact he made it via the graveyard shift that is the Challenge Tour.
He now has access to all the big tournaments and he’s in a position to plan and plot his schedule for the next 12 months.
The secret is selecting a route map that works. Pick a plan and stick to it. Trust what you’ve done to reach this point and embrace the wonderful opportunity in front of you.
It’s a real positive that
Cormac got a taste for the big league in Lahinch in July, when he was the highest ranked Irish golfer at the Irish Open. Finishing 15th in a world-class field augurs well for the future.
So where has he found an added edge this year? Well, his scoring average is almost a shot better. His ability to contend and ‘top-10’ when playing well has also improved. Last season he missed the cut in 50 per cent of the tournaments. This season he made 83.3 per cent of tournament cuts. That’s a seismic shift.
A lot of credit has to go to caddie Brian Byrne, who is a veteran of 35 years on the European Tour and came out of retirement to help Cormac.
Sharvin will need to kick on again next year, which won’t be easy, given the courses are new and the surroundings bigger and brighter.
But with huge rewards on offer, there’s a great chance to cash in.
Cormac has been a slow burner since making his pro debut in 2016 after enjoying a top amateur career which ended in a perfect winning record at the 2015 Walker Cup.
So to see him mature as a player and secure his European Tour card is fantastic.
It’s also a major boost for Irish golf as our numbers on tour are way too light at the moment.