Galgorm touring pro Gareth continues rich vein of form in France

Fresh from his remarkable performance in finishing tied fifth in the Irish Open the previous week, that secured him a place in the prestigious French Open.

And Shaw showed that his display at Carton House was no fluke as he finished tied in 15th place, in a tournament won by fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell.

“I had planned on taking the next two weeks off but it was the French Open. I’ve got to keep going, keep riding the wave.

The week at home went out the window but I can’t be too disappointed, it was another great opportunity.”

Shaw travelled on the same flight from Belfast to Paris with Michael Hoey, tournament ambassador for the Northern Ireland Open Challenge presented by Clannah and Xjet, which takes place at the end of August (29th-1st) at Galgorm, the Ballymena venue Shaw represents.

Since turning pro as a plus three handicapper in 2008, Shaw has cut his teeth on mini tours and made steady progress. It’s a path he maintains will keep him grounded.

“I’ve worked hard, had a pretty good college career, started off okay on the Challenge Tour then struggled for a time on the mini tours where no one wants to be,” added the two-time North of Ireland champion.

“But I’ve come through all of that which will definitely help me appreciate the good times.”

While taking advantage of great opportunities on the main European Tour, Shaw is still focused on the task in hand on the Challenge Tour.

“We will have another great opportunity to compete on home soil and in front of home crowds when the
NI Open Challenge takes place at Galgorm at the end of
August,” added Shaw, who is currently 51st on the Challenge Tour standings with earnings of €13,800 from nine events.

n Tickets for the Northern Ireland Open Challenge are on sale and can be purchased from Galgorm Castle Golf Club (028 2564 6161). Full details online (www.niopen.co.uk)