Maybin steps up

No Harrington. No McIlroy. No Clarke. No McGinley. No Lowry. No McDowell. No matter.

Gareth MaybinGareth Maybin proved that he is becoming a player to watch closely when he finished tied for 12th behind the likeable Argentinian Ricardo Gonzalez in the SAS Masters at Barsebäck near Malmö.

Now nicknamed The Axe Man after spending last month back home felling trees on his farm, big-hitter Gonzalez birdied five of his last six holes to win by two shots from the Welshman Jamie Donaldson on 10 under with Maybin the top Irishman.

Maybin has yet to clinch his maiden European Tour title but he was the 11th highest world ranked player in action in Sweden and only just failed to justify his position as world No 132 (the 37th highest ranked European) after a closing level par 73 left him eight strokes behind the winner on two under par.

A native of Ballyclare in Co Antrim, Maybin has been a revelation to many since he claimed his European Tour rights through the Challenge Tour last year, winning the Qingdao Golf Open in China along the way, on his 28th birthday no less.

Step one came in 2007, when he returned from the Hooters Tour in the US to play some Challenge Tour events thanks to invitations he secured through Conor Ridge of Horizon Sports Management.

He played 10 events on the second tier tour that year with two top-4s in his first four starts giving him enough status to finish 49th in the rankings. He also played in the 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup with Michael Hoey after every other Irish tour player decided they had other priorities that didn't include pre-qualifying in Aruba.

Many of those who said no had one eye on either qualifying for the Volvo Masters or keeping their card but Maybin and Hoey went off to Aruba via Kazakhstan and Amsterdam. Not only did they qualify, they finished 24th of the 28 nations in action in China to pick up €16,000 each.

With his Challenge Tour card secured for 2008, Maybin took advantage of his chance in no uncertain terms, finishing fourth in the Rankings with earnings of €117,719.

His 2009 campaign is looking remarkably similar.

In just his fourth start of the 2009 European Tour season, he was beaten in a play-off for the South African Open Championship at Pearl Valley, losing to Richard Sterne at the first extra hole.

Thanks to his finish in Sweden, he is well placed to make the top 60 money winners who qualify for the Dubai World Championship through the Race to Dubai rankings.

For the record, Peter Lawrie was 27th on 1-over with Gary Murphy (38th and failing to achieve the big finish he needs to get out of the relegation zone) and Michael Hoey 43rd.

Damien McGrane had the cash register ringing again when he tied for 53rd.