Declan O’Donovan has captured his first international amateur title, winning the 120th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship after defeating local favourite Isaiah Ibit in a sudden-death playoff at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Quebec.
The 22-year-old two-time NSW Amateur Champion, who took a two-shot lead into the final round, found himself in the fight of his golfing life as his overnight advantage evaporated on the front nine. O’Donovan however, showed his class, producing a stunning back-nine charge.
“It’s the best feeling ever,” O’Donovan beamed after his victory. “Securing my first international win and securing my first PGA Tour start is an incredible feeling. Couldn’t be more prouder of myself and the work I put into this game.”
The turning point came at the par-5 10th hole, where O’Donovan holed a spectacular eagle to kickstart his charge home. Three shots behind entering the back nine, O’Donovan produced what he described as “the best pitch I’ve ever hit in my life” – a 20-metre chip shot that found the bottom of the cup.
“It would’ve gone no more than a foot past,” he grinned.
From there, the birdies flowed as the Avondale gun went on a tear over the closing holes. He converted a 4-footer on the 11th after hitting a “chippy 8 iron into the breeze” on the 142-metre par-3, then holed a crucial 12-foot par putt on the 12th. “It was huge,” he said of that par-save.
The run continued with a 15-footer for birdie on the 16th and a 6-footer on the 17th. Sadly, O’Donovan’s birdie putt for outright victory on the last didn’t fall, forcing the playoff with Ontario’s Isaiah Ibit.
The drama continued in the sudden-death playoff. With his opponent Ibit in trouble from the tee, O’Donovan, safely in the fairway, somehow missed the green right and could only get his recovery to 20 feet. After a nervy first putt, the Avondale gun had to hole a crucial six-footer downhill to stay alive.
The second time around, though, O’Donovan truly captured the moment. Wiht his opponent cruleed with a penalty shot on the hole, and O’Donovan Safely on the putting surface for two, but facing a lengthy putt, he knew what he had to do.
“Standing over the putt, I kept saying to myself ‘Trust yourself. Rather than try to hit it, let my body do what it knows to do, just trust it,'”
And trust it he did, with the ball barely deviating from its line as soon as it left his putter..
“I got the inkling of it going in two feet out. Honestly, I don’t know what I felt, just went a bit numb. It was the best thing ever when it went in, I threw my hands in the air, screamed out yes! I was so, so happy.”
Asked about his composure throughout the pressure-packed final round, O’Donovan was delighted with how he had kept his cool despite the pressure coming from both of his playing partners.
“My composure today and the work I’ve put into my mental game is the reason why I got across the line today. My composure was great!”
“There was great golf from the whole group today, both boys played incredibly. Isaiah pushed me to my best golf, especially in the playoff.”
The victory comes with some incredible rewards for O’Donovan, who has now secured exemptions into a couple of marquee events: the 2026 RBC Canadian Open and, importantly, for his short-term goals, the 125th US Amateur Championship at Olympic Club in San Francisco.
“The perks that come with it are even better. The RBC Canadian Open – I can play it as a pro,” O’Donovan explained, still processing the magnitude of his achievement.
“I wasn’t in the US. Amateur field,” he revealed. “It was my last chance to get it, and I took it. I can’t wait for Olympic Club, my Dad is now flying over to watch, it will be great. This I won’t forget for the rest of my life!”
The achievement was a remarkable fulfilment of O’Donovan’s North American Hemisphere tour objectives. “A huge goal of mine heading overseas this year was to win,” he admitted. “I saved it to a little late but couldn’t be happier with my efforts.”
The win also provides full exemption from local qualifying for the 2026 US Amateur and US Open, opening doors that seemed a challenge just a week ago for the Avondale member.
O’Donovan was one of four NSW-based players in the field, with Blake Phillips finishing tied for 10th at three under, while Jye Halls and Coby Carruthers tied for 18th at even par.
As for celebrations, the new champion kept his feet firmly on the ground despite the magnitude of his achievement. “Dominos and coke tonight for me and the boys,” he laughed. “8am flights tomorrow so unfortunately nothing super exciting hahaha.”
