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Not quite a teenager, but already tearing up the greens

Matt Mullarkey, 12, has earned a reputation as one of the top junior golfers.

By DAWN REISS
Published July 21, 2006

CRYSTAL RIVER - Matt Mullarkey eyes the fairway. His 4-foot-8 frame crouches in the hot sun as he wedges his ball on the men's tee. Calmly, he pulls his 11-degree Big Bertha and takes a practice swing. Then another before the sound of ball and driver crack the humidity like a starter's gun at a track meet.

Unfazed by the 180 or so yards, Mullarkey waits as his father takes his turn on Plantation Inn's golf course.

"If I had a choice," Mullarkey said. "I'd be out here every day."

For most of his 12 years, this has been Mullarkey's life. And it's starting to pay off.

Last year as an 11-year-old, Mullarkey shot 75 at Plantation, then hit a hole-in-one two weeks later on the par-3 197-yard No. 3 hole. This year, Mullarkey, a 7-handicap golfer, came in third at Plantation Inn Men's Gross Division Club Championship - bested only by his father, Mike, and grandfather, Joe.

Seeking a new challenge, Mullarkey started playing on the X-Factor Junior Golf Tour this year. At a Plantation Inn-hosted event, Mullarkey shot 80-77 to place third, qualifying for the AAU Junior Golf National Championship July 31-Aug. 1 at MeadowView Golf Course in Kingsport, Tenn.

AAU national golf chair Hal Yost said though it is hard to judge how good a young player will become as an adult, Mullarkey is one of the better youth players in the country.

Plantation Inn head professional Randy Robbins said Mullarkey is the best junior golfer he has ever met.

"When I first started working here he was out on the red tees, the ladies' tees," Robbins said. "Now he's on the men's tees. And I think if grandfather and father have anything to do about it, he'll be on the blue tees soon."

Mullarkey started early, using a plastic set of clubs at the driving range as a 2-year-old. By 4, Mullarkey's father took a hack saw and cut down and re-gripped a set of old clubs because the junior sets were too big.

"I tried to get him to play in NSJGA North Suncoast Junior Golf Association at age 6," his father said. "But they wouldn't let him play because you have to be 8. So the next year when he was 7, I lied and said he was 8."

It didn't stop Mullarkey from winning four consecutive NSJGA age division titles from ages 7-10, despite playing with older golfers.

Now, Mullarkey's bedroom is filled with more than 30 trophies, Tiger Woods posters and balls autographed by the likes of Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson. Though he has tried other sports -briefly - such as soccer and basketball, golf is the only sport he really likes.

"I thought it was good sport to play because you don't get a lot of injuries," said Mullarkey, peering behind his wire rim glasses. "I played football once and tripped, which didn't feel too good."

Instead, he plays golf six or seven days a week and lifts weights four times a week under the supervision of his father. Mullarkey said he has learned to compensate for his small stature by becoming a more accurate player with a strong short game.

"He's a solid striker," his father said. "The tougher the course, the better he'll play."

After being home schooled last year, Mullarkey will enter Crystal River Middle as a seventh grader this fall. He plans to golf as much as he has this summer.

"Matt's going to finish what his grandfather tried to do," joked Mullarkey's grandfather. "He's going to be on the tour some day."

Dawn Reiss can be reached at dreiss@sptimes.com or (352) 860-7303.

[Last modified July 21, 2006, 06:40:23]