That hole was halved in birdie twos and David made a couple of mistakes as well on the back nine so that the President's Putter Champion (X 2) lunched two up.

He went 3 up at the 19th after which there was a sequence of halved holes.

Although McCormack was making some good recovery shots around the green, Hayes was having problems off the tee. They cost him the 26th and the 28th and a miss from 6ft at the 27th was crucial, but not quite as important at what happened on the 29th.

Hayes was miles down the fairway. McCormack was in the trees and his runner of an approach stayed right and in the rough.

Hayes pitched to 15ft then McCormack didn't hit his own delicate approach hard enough. He faced another chip for a par and holed it! Hayes then rushed his first putt three foot past the hole and missed the return so the match was all square going to the 30th.

Michael missed the green of this par three long, just off the green but with a downhill chip that could easily have escaped a few feet past the hole. He hit the perfect shot to just a couple of inches. David then faced the first of three putts for the next three holes, and the shortest of them.

That first putt just drifted past the hole, as did each of the others whilst Michael was holing a couple of stout returns or par saves.

Both were long and well down the tough 34th. Both were short with their approaches. Hayes went first fom 75ft and was four feet short. McCormack put his putt from 70ft stone dead.

David then missed that par putt and Michael was ahead again, after 27 holes of being behind. He hit a superb iron to the 25th, 116ft under the hole with the pin right at the back of the green. David pulled his tee shot.

He responded like the champion his is with an exquisite chip round the shoulder of the bunker and holed from more than the distance of his miss on the 34th, this time downhill and with break.

Michael could only hold his head in his hands as his putt for the championship stayed on the lip.

Both were long up the 36th but again neither could get back to the pin. Hayes chipped to five feet whilst McCormack putted to just a few inches more so it was still his turn. That putt was hit firmly right into the back of the hole and Michael's face lit up with his biggest smile.

'I thought I had to just grind it out, take one hole and one shot at a time', said Michael.

'That was a tough match to play', said David, 'Those chip ins were a problem, the ball flying in from everywhere.'

'The chip in on the 29th was going a few feet past - I though I had to hole it and I got the line', said Michael, 'It just hit the flag in the middle.'

Did Michael have any trouble sleeping the night before his first Major final?

'No', replied Mr McCormack, 'We had trouble getting him out of bed.'

This was a calm and very mature performance and it will inspire many others, some even younger than Michael. It was the culmination of an incredible last four weeks for Michael and long may it continue!

A full gallery of hole by hole pictures from the final now appears on COUNTY MEN | CHAMPIONSHIPS | MATCHPLAY | PICTURES