Roganstown golfer Patrick Keeling held off a final-round charge from Cork’s David Howard to win the Flogas Irish Amateur Open on a sun-kissed Seapoint Golf Links on Sunday.
Keeling led by one stroke heading into the final round, but was caught by the chasing pack with five players in a tie for the lead around the turn. The University of Louisville student made key birdies on the 10th and 11th holes to take the lead, and added to it with a birdie on 14, although Howard’s final round of six-under-par 66 in the clubhouse gave Keeling something to think about.
The 21-year-old missed a good birdie chance on 16 and bogeyed 17 to set up a nervy finish on the par-5 18th. After hitting the fairway, Keeling’s approach went over the green, but a lag putt left him 12 feet for birdie, which he holed for a 70 and victory for one stroke on 11-under-par.
Defending champion Stuart Grehan was a shot behind Howard on nine under in a tie for third with Co Louth’s Gerard Dunne.
READ MORE
It was a week to remember for Keeling, who also broke the course record at Seapoint with a 10-under-par 62 on Friday.
A devout Christian, Keeling credited his faith for giving him the peace of mind to birdie 18.
“On 18, it was where I knew I stood, so I started to get a little bit nervous, that was the first time all day it came over me,” he said.
“After where my second shot ended up, I was really happy to have a decent putt at it. Got a good read from my caddie Tom. I thought before it, ‘Jesus whatever your will is let it be done’ and let me be okay with that. That brought some peace hitting the putt, whether it went in or it missed, I’d already won.
“I felt like I always had the game, but I would always overcomplicate things. I was always searching for something, this week I just stuck with one feel.
“I am always worrying about my backswing or something, but this week I didn’t really care, just tried to stay in rhythm, do everything kind of slowly. Thankfully it worked out, I’m very grateful for that.”
Keeling joins a list of winners of the Irish Amateur Open which include Major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Pádraig Harrington, while Rory McIlroy lost in a playoff in 2006.
