Staff WriterMatt Sharpstene might not yet have a HotelPlanner Tour trophy on the mantel, but after a blistering finish in round two of the Irish Challenge at Killeen Castle, the 26-year-old American now has the weekend exactly where he wants it—by the scruff of the neck.
With the sort of back-nine birdie spree that makes golf fans wonder if someone swapped his golf ball for a guided missile, Sharpstene closed out Friday with four birdies in his last five holes to card a tournament-best 66.
That six-under masterclass catapulted him to seven under par for the week, one clear of Italy’s Stefano Mazzoli and France’s Oihan Guillamoundeguy.
“I didn’t really miss a shot all day,” Sharpstene said, sounding as calm as someone describing a trip to the shops rather than a career-best round in gusty Irish weather. “I feel great. I played well yesterday, had a poor finish, but knew I was hitting it well, so it was nice to see some putts go in today.”
Day one had brought him a steady 71, but Friday’s conditions—another day of blustery winds across the Emerald Isle—played right into his hands. “It’s playing tough. It’s blowing, but I’ve played well in wind previously. I knew it was going to be windy this week, and knew I had a chance,” he said.
Starting on the tenth, Sharpstene birdied three of his first four holes, dropped his only shot at the par-three 14th, then parred his way to the fourth before setting off on that four-birdie tear from the fifth. If momentum is a currency in golf, he’s flush going into the weekend.
It’s been a rapid rise for the North Carolina native. He earned full 2025 Road to Mallorca status the hard way—grinding through all three stages of DP World Tour Qualifying School and making the cut at Final Stage. But this week comes with a twist: his caddie is also his dad.
“It is actually my dad’s birthday today, so that was a pretty good present for him,” Sharpstene said with a grin. “I knew he was coming this week, so I knew it was going to be a great week.
I’ve put so much pressure on myself all year, and him being here this week has really helped me have fun and let loose a little bit. I’ve been playing well and have been close to cuts all year.
There’s definitely been nights where I’ve been texting my dad non-stop, trying to figure it all out. I play my best when I’m not thinking, and I haven’t really thought about much this week which has helped me.”
The chasing pack isn’t short of firepower. England’s Will Enefer, Denmark’s Jeppe Kristian Andersen, and Switzerland’s Ronan Kleu sit two shots back on five under. Another five players, including French duo Julien Sale and Andoni Etchenique, Germany’s Michael Hirmer, England’s George Bloor, and Dane Gustav Frimodt, lurk on four under.
The third round of the Irish Challenge tees off Saturday at 7:30 am local time, with Sharpstene, Mazzoli, and Guillamoundeguy heading out at 12:04 pm.
If Sharpstene keeps this form—and his brain switched to “off”—he might just be celebrating more than his dad’s birthday come Sunday evening.
