Sheahan's 1963 performance is particularly noteworthy as he beat the reigning US Amateur champion Labron Harris in the first day's singles and followed that up by defeating the reigning British Amateur champion Richard Davies the next day.

He more or less walked away from the game after the tournament though to concentrate on his career in medicine. It was one of the biggest stories in the sport at the time as Sheahan had been making headlines for the previous three years and had beaten professionals in a major pro-am tournament at Royal Dublin in 1962.

There was great excitement on the European Tour this year when Pablo Martin Benavides won the Portuguese Open as an amateur.

It was touted as the first such win on the European Tour.

However, Sheahan's win in the Jeyes Pro-Am was just as noteworthy even though it happened in pre-Tour days.

He scored rounds of 69, 72,72, 69 to nip home one ahead of Denis Hutchinson of South Africa with Christy O'Connor two strokes further back. The field was a strong one, including O'Connor's Ryder Cup colleagues Dai Rees, Bernard Hunt, Jimmy Martin and Harry Weetman.

Speculation was rampant after the tournament that the 22-year-old would turn pro.

Sheahen had burst on the scene by reaching the final of the 1959 North of Ireland which he lost to the veteran John Duncan. Then he had followed-up with a win in the Carlow Scratch Cup, after a playoff with Tom McAleese.

He made his first big run at the Irish Amateur Close, which he was to win three times, when reaching the third round at Portstewart before losing on the 20th to that great competitor of the time, Don Macaulay.

His progression towards the Royal Dublin triumph featured a course record 65 at his home course at the Grange Golf Club and a hard-won victory in the Irish Amateur Close at Rosses Point in 1961.

The defence of the title at Baltray in 1962 did everything to confirm that he was the new man in Irish golf. He reached the semi-finals before relinquishing his crown by 2 and 1 to incoming champion Michael Edwards. It wasn't such a surprise that he performed so well against the professionals at Royal Dublin the following year. What was disappointing to many, however, was his refusal to consider a career as a professional player and his decision, indeed, to curtail his play generally.

His focus was on medicine.

He was born in England but his parents, both of whom were Irish, moved the family to Mullingar, where his father practiced medicine until his death. The young Sheahan had lessons from club professional Tom Rooney and spent hours pitching-andputting with his starter set of six clubs. He had his handicap down from an initial 18 to a notable 4 when he left town for university as an 18-yearold.

He won the Irish Universities' championship twice and his climb to prominence was rapid as he made it onto the Irish team in 1961 and he stayed there until 1970. The win against the professionals was a major achievement considering his academic commitments. Indeed, he sat part of his final examination the day following his Royal Dublin triumph.

The total immersion in amateur golf and all its demands was not for Sheahan. He was content to make a considered number of appearances each year and, Bobby Jones-like, he made his presence felt when he did take part. Few could claim to be a better matchplay golfer than David Sheahan in the amateur game in the 1960s.

He played a total of 54 matches for Ireland, winning 25 and halving four.

His record in the Irish Amateur Close is awesome.

He played in the event ten times over a span of fifteen years, never losing in fewer than three rounds. He won the tournament three times.

His prowess as a matchplayer was demonstrated to the full in 196 at Rosses Point when he beat Fergus Gallagher at the 20th in the second round, Michael Skerritt at the 19th next time out, and the 19th again in the quarterfinals when losing to Wing Commander Bill McCrea.

Royal Dublin was to prove a happy hunting ground again in 1966 when he won the Close for a second time, getting 19th hole revenge over Bill McCrea in the semi-finals, before beating Johnny Faith by 3 and 2 in the decider.His second defence of the crown was at Lahinch in 1967. He defeated Derry Culligan and Brud Slattery, both on the 18th green, before succumbing by 2 and 1 to Vincent Nevin, who would win the title in the following two years.

He did not play in 1968 or 1969 before entering when the championship came to his home course at Grange Golf Club in 1970. There could be only one outcome. He negotiated a tough route to the final before winning a local derby by 2-holes over Mark Bloom of Edmondstown. He reached the third round at Ballybunion in defence of his crown in 1971 but then went back into retirement for 1972 and 1973. His final tournament appearance was at Portmarnock in 1974 when he fell at the 19th in round four.

So, if you see this shy and unassuming fellowwandering in the galleries at Royal County Down this week, doff your cap to a great champion and gentleman.