Kirwan only hit 12 greens in the first round -

'I struggled early on to get things moving', said Rory, 'I just didn't feel that solid through the ball.'

His play after the first six was though the golf that he seems always to be able to produce, even if it wasn't as spectacular as he would have liked, and the match swung Rory's way as Sullivan started to find frustration on the greens.

Andy has changed his putting style to use many of the techniques that can be seen when say David Howell putts. With a wide stance and a very hands neutral grip, the results were there in the 12 birdies Andy threw at his opponents on Day 1 of this Championship. This day though the ball was sliding past the hole, notably three times in a row from the 16th to the 18th where from being three down, Sullivan had chances to lunch all square.

Andy did get back the 19th only to miss the 20th on the wrong side and have no chance of a halving par. Both players made a mess of the 21st and the 22nd was halved in pars.

Once again, Sullivan went through the back of the 5th, the 23rd of the match and that bogey putt him four down. He was last to putt at the next, leaving the ball right on the edge of the hole and charged his eagle putt at the 7th. The 5ft return went in though and on the 8th, Sullivan drove the green of the par four whilst Kirwan had stayed to a specific game plan and had a 100 yard wedge approach which was hit to 6ft.

Sullivan was on the back of the green and his chip was slightly aggressive. An 8ft birdie went in so asking Kirwan to hole to keep his four hole advantage -

'That was the crucial shot of the final', said Rory.

Sullivan was closest at the 9th (the 27th hole of the match) and missed. Kirwan then returned the favour at the next when after a perfect drive and low wedge, he saw his ball drift just by the hole. Pars halved the next before the final was over, all bar 'the shouting.

Rory found one of the fairway bunkers and had to wedge out to short of the tough two tier green. Andy had meanwhile thrashed a drive over the guarding traps and had a 52 deg wedge in. It just drifted on the wind and found a horrible lie in the bunker. Rory responded by hitting a fizzer of a wedge to three foot and to go into a five hole lead. Two holes later it was all over with Kirwan winning 5&4.

'That was great', said Rory after the win, 'I practise 5 to 6 hours a day and its paying off.'

'I am maybe sneaky long off the tee', continued Rory, 'Around 285-290.'

referring to his not being too far behind Sullivan who was disappointed to say the least -

'I just didn't hole anything. Three bad shots were really punished.'

Like everyone who has won this huge trophy, the job of holding it aloft was testament to the fact the Kirwan includes gym work in his weekly routine, and he was looking forward to being part of the Mens team for the County 6s in two weeks time, a fitting acknowledgement of just how good he has become.