Ballito’s Matthew Smith secured a top-10 finish at the prestigious Champion of Champions Junior Golf Tournament in Northern Ireland.

The Ashton International Ballito College pupil competed at the Lough Erne Resort from July 29 to 31. Now in its fifth year, the tournament attracted 250 elite young golfers aged six to 19 from more than 40 countries.

The event featured multiple age divisions and was hosted across two world-class courses: the Castle Hume Course and the Faldo Championship Course, designed by six-time Major Champion Sir Nick Faldo.

Competing in the Boys U15 division, Matthew finished tied ninth in a field of 40 players. He posted scores of 73, 81 and 81 over three rounds, ending the tournament at 20 over par. His opening round on the Castle Hume Course was solid, but the Faldo Championship Course proved more challenging in the final two rounds.

“It was a great experience to be able to play in the Champion of Champions tournament and to play golf in Ireland,” said Matthew.

The five-star Lough Erne Resort in Enniskillen is located in the country’s only island town and is just under two hours from Belfast.

Entry into the tournament was by invitation only, with players selected based on top-three finishes in affiliated events within their home countries. Matthew earned his spot after placing second in the 2024 SA Kids Junior Africa Challenge at San Lameer last August.

“I learned a lot and am extremely proud of myself, it was one of the best times of my life,” he said.

Ashton’s head of media, Morgyn Prinsloo, said the school is incredibly proud of him for his accomplishment and the dedication it took to get there.