Matthew is swinging his way to stardom

Matthew Nixon

Ashton ace makes early impact on European golf scene
ASHTON Golf Club is basking in the meteoric rise of its star performer Matthew Nixon.

The 21-year-old from Droylsden, a member of the Ashton club for almost 10 years, is rapidly making a name for himself on the European Tour.

In the space of a few months, he has graduated from a leading British amateur to become one of the professional circuit's most promising young players.

Matthew’s latest European Tour start was in the Andalucia Open in Malaga last weekend when his final-round 70, despite a double-bogey six on the 17th hole, gave him a share of 11th spot behind the winner, Scotland’s Paul Lawrie.

Earlier in the season, he was 14th in the Africa Open won by Open champion Luis Oosthuizen of South Africa.

Those two high finishes have netted Matthew over £22,000 in prize money and have given him a platform from which he could reach the £200,000 target needed to retain his Tour card.

Yet Matthew only attended the 2010 Qualifying School to test the water.

It was a surprise to many, and possibly the player, too, when he became the only amateur to secure his European Tour card for 2011.

He was quickly snapped up by Chubby Chandler’s ISM management agency and is already sponsored by golfing manufacturing giants Footjoy and Ping.

Colin Boyle, the Ashton professional for 24 years, has seen Matthew rise from junior champion to rookie pro.

He said: “It is absolutely fantastic for Matthew and the world is his oyster now.

“His success has certainly brought a lot more awareness of Ashton Golf Club

“We are very proud of him. We have watched him grow up here and he is a very likeable lad who won’t change.

“We are very lucky that he has stayed here as, not surprisingly, there has been a lot of interest from other clubs.

“He still plays here and entered the junior competitions here last year.”

Matthew has been given great support by another close friend, Mark Smith.

The current Stamford professional, Mark was Colin’s assistant at Ashton for seven and a half years and has been caddying for Matthew on the European Tour.

Matthew expects to appoint a full-time caddy in the next few weeks, so Mark will return home to continue his regular job at Stamford.

Next on the agenda for Matthew is the Hassan II Trophy which began in Agadir, Morocco, today.

And the 2006 British Schoolboys champion who, before his elevation to pro status had expected the highlight of this year to be a Walker Cup appearance for Britain and Ireland, will certainly be one young player the rest of a top-class field will be keeping a close eye on.