“It was a great draw as well, to get drawn with Tom Watson (a previous two-time winner) and Michael Campbell (a future winner)…”
01:01, 08 Apr 2026Updated 08:10, 08 Apr 2026
Tom Watson and Irish amateur Brian McElhinney at the 2005 Us Masters
Brian McElhinney was born in Burnfoot and is the professional at North West Golf Club in Lisfannon, Donegal.
That might be just nine kilometres from boy-to-man…
But his golfing career encompasses far more than a lengthy 18 hole stroll from his parent’s house to his current job at a club affectionately known as ‘The St Andrews of Ireland’.
Most notably, McElhinney played in the 2005 Masters, which Phil Mickelson won by finishing two shots ahead of Tim Clark.
McElhinney, then 23 years-old, was the ‘other’ official 2005 winner having finished as top amateur on plus-11, two shots ahead of Edoardo Molinari, four shots ahead of American Clay Ogden and five clear of two further Americans Dillon Dougherty and Kevin Marsh.
Paul McGinley and Craig Stadler also finished at plus-11, missing the cut.
McElhinney duly collected the silver trophy for finishing as top amateur—silverware that Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland, Sergio Garcia and Jack Nicklaus also have in their trophy cabinets.
As for the week itself, McElhinney had McGinley to thank for ‘easing’ him into the playing week, the Dubliner arranging for a practice round with him and alongside Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie.
“It was nice to get to play a few holes with them for sure and then, obviously, it was a great draw as well, to get drawn with Tom Watson (a previous two-time winner) and Michael Campbell (a future winner),” said McElhinney.
“Everybody talks about Augusta and how hilly and slopy it is and how tricky the greens can be so to experience that playing it was fantastic.
“It was obviously a bit different. When you get there, when you go through the gate, everything’s just so well-manicured and so perfect.
“You really had to try and manage your way around the course. At the start of my first round, I was playing what I thought was quite well, but I was just missing the greens on the wrong side, and making bogeys and double-bogeys.
“Compared to other courses, you really couldn’t afford to miss the greens in the wrong place, otherwise you were doing well to make bogeys.”
Moreover McElhinney will have a THIRD Masters champion and former playing partner in mind when the event tees of this Thursday, his former Ulster and Ireland foursomes partner Rory McIlroy.
“It was a great experience to play with Rory at that stage,” continues McElhinney.
“There was a lot of good hype about him and he was a really good prospect. You just knew, it was his ball striking and the way he played, that he was going places.
“He had the talent and the potential, but you still have to go and do it. You’ve got to hand it to him for what he has done.
“He’s somebody that everybody looks up to as a player. Everybody wants to try and improve and he’s somebody that you look up to whenever you’re trying to do that.
“It was great to see him winning last year and he deserved it. The fact that was the one that he really wanted to win, to do the Grand Slam, it was brilliant for him to get over the line eventually. It was a wee bit nerve-wracking at times, but it was good to see him getting over at the end.”
Encouraged to swing a club by his dad Charlie, McElhinney was a juvenile at Buncrana Golf Club who went on to take the Donegal Boys’ in 1998 and the Connacht Boys’ in 2000.
A stunning senior win, beating Ballyclare’s Johnny Foster by one hole, at the 2003 Royal Portrush hosted North of Ireland announced his arrival on a far bigger stage while he was also the 2003 European Amateur Champion.
There was the thrill of having qualified for The 2004 Open at Royal Troon and 2005 Open at St At Andrews while capturing the 2005 British Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale helped gain him a spot at the 2005 Masters at Augusta.
“It probably does take a wee bit of time to appreciate what you’ve done, but you try not to think too much about it when you’re playing,” said McElhinney.
“Playing in The Open (2005 at St Andrews), it was the year Tiger Woods won it, and it was Jack Nicklaus’ last year playing in The Open, so that was probably the highlight of that one.
“The Walker Cup was a really close match. Nigel Edwards had a putt from about 35-feet to get a half match, and with two or three foot to go, the putt looked in, it just missed, so it came down to that.”