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In fact on the final day in Korea Maybin may have done even better except he faded down the stretch, losing out on sole possession of second place after a par putt at the last lipped out. The level par 72 score dropped him back alongside Australia's Brett Rumford - albeit a vital pay day of €191,516.50 towards the Race to Dubai
Originally from Ballyclare in Northern Ireland, Maybin had a very successful career as an amateur, representing Ireland at boys, youth and senior levels, in addition to wins in the Leinster Youths and North of Ireland.
In 2001 Gareth accepted a four year golf scholarship at the University of South Alabama, where he set a record by winning eight times in one season, beating PGA Tour player Heath Slocum’s record of seven wins. In 2004 Gareth played on the successful European Palmer Cup team at Ballybunion Golf Club and was also a member of that year’s Walker Cup panel.
Maybin turned professional after the 2004 University season, initially playing on the Hooters Tour in the US, where he was named Rookie of the Year in 2005.
After two wins on the Tour, in 2005 and 2006, and a victory in the 2006 Alabama Open, he returned to Europe to compete on the European Challenge Tour, for the second half of the 2007 season. After four top ten finishes in only ten events, including a third place finish in the First Plus Wales Challenge, Gareth finished the season in 49th position on the Order of Merit and secured full Challenge Tour playing rights for 2008. Gareth rounded off 2007 in style, playing in the World Cup of Golf with fellow Northern Irishman Michael Hoey, at Mission Hills in China.
Maybin had a superb 2008 season on the Challenge Tour, with nine top-10 finishes, including his first Challenge Tour victory at the Qingdao Golf Open in September. Gareth’s consistent performances saw him finish the 2008 season ranked 4th on the Challenge Tour Rankings. This secured a category 10 card on the main European Tour for the 2009 season, which gave Gareth entry to most tournaments.
He took full advantage of this opportunity, and nearly secured the European Tour’s Rookie Of The Season award for 2009. Maybin had no fewer than seven top-10 finishes, and came close to winning on a number of occasions. None more so than at the South African Open Championship, where he missed out on a play-off. Gareth finished 53rd in the final 2009 Race to Dubai rankings, a superb debut season.
Maybin would continue in the same vein going into 2010, narrowly missing out securing his first European Tour victory. Gareth would secure five top-10s, including finishing second at the Ballantine's Championship in Korea and also the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in Spain. He sampled his first taste of Major golf by qualifying for both the US Open and the Open Championship on his way to finishing 40th in the Race to Dubai.
The 2011 season however saw a loss of momentum mid season with a large number of missed cuts impacting his twenty eight season starts, including the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland in Jillana. The loss in earnings was sufficient to cause concern through the last few events in the European Tour schedule, nit helped when Maybin earned only €8,700 from 57th place at the Andalucia Masters.
However fortune favoured and a €13,327 cheque in Hong Kong moved him to 117th from 120th in the Race to Dubai standings.
With the three players ahead of him - Fredrik Jacobsen, Ryan Moore and Tom Lewis - not playing the required number of tournaments to count, this bumped him to 114th on the list - one spot inside the automatic 115 players on the money list who retain their playing privileges for the new year.
In 2012 Maybin left Horizon Sports to join a new management company Sportology.
At The European Tour Final Qualifying a 58th place finish ended Maybin's hopes of a quick recovery of playing rights.
The highlight of his 2013 campaign came at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, where he followed up a joint eighth finish in the Alstom Open de France with a joint fifth finish behind Phil Mickelson.
Needed to make the cut in his last event of the 2011 season, the UBS Hong Kong Open, to have any chance of keeping his card, and duly did so, coming tied 39th to scrape in in 117th place in The Race to Dubai.
Was a less nervy finish in 2012, when he took 111th place. His highest finish in the Money List was in 2010, when he came 40th. Graduated from the Challenge Tour in 2008, the year he won his maiden title, at the Qingdao Golf Open.
2014 loses European Tour card after finishes 123rd in the Race to Dubai.
At The European Tour Final Qualifying a 58th place finish ended Maybin's hopes of a quick recovery of playing rights.
Personal Details
Date of Birth: 14th September 1980
Management: Sportology
Residence: Ballyclare, Northern Ireland
Turned Professional: 2005
Interests: Football, Shooting, Cars and Pool
Tour school: 2007 (14)
Career earnings €2,363,328 [November 2014]
Career earnings €2,363,328 [November 2014]
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