Justin Kehoe's final actions as an amateur were to gently roll in a five-foot birdie putt on the 16th green on the old course at Ballybunion yesterday.
The significance of the farewell gesture from the 23-year-old was that the putt secured the men's amateur Home Internationals title for Ireland - for the first time in 11 years - and, also, allowed them to emulate the feat of Ireland's women, who had taken the equivalent crown a week ago.
"It's nice to go to tour school on a high," remarked Kehoe, who next week competes in the first stage of the PGA European Tour qualifying school at Carden Park in England. "I've been on four Irish teams in the Home Internationals and this was really the only chance we've had to win . . . to do it on a great course like Ballybunion is as good a place as any to finally get a result."
Kehoe had negotiated his way around the links without looking at a scoreboard.
"I simply wanted to win my match, and I was focused on that," he said, and it was only after he walked off the 16th green that his father, Brendan, informed him of its significance.
Ireland - who had beaten Wales and England in their previous matches - only required a draw with Scotland - who had dropped a half-point to England on the first day - in yesterday's final series of matches to win the championship. To get that result, they had to work exceptionally hard. After the morning foursomes, they trailed the Scots by two points, but then contrived to get six points from the 10 singles matches to draw 7½-7 ½ and claim the Raymond Trophy for the first time since 1992.
The necessary six points were contributed by wins from Mark Campbell, the only Irish player to finish the championship unbeaten in his six matches, Richard Kilpatrick, Michael McGeady, Mark O'Sullivan and Kehoe, in the anchor match where he beat Walker Cup player Stuart Wilson, while Darren Crowe and Brian McElhinney, the European amateur champion, halved their matches.
"I'm thrilled for the lads," insisted Mark Gannon, the non-playing captain, who had been a member of the Irish teams that won the triple crown in 1987 and 1990. "Do you know, I think I get more satisfaction from captaining the team than when I actually played, because I know just how much they have all put into this. They prepared and worked hard and to win the Home Internationals Championship is what it is all about."
Kehoe is the only member of the team set to join the professional ranks, while Walker Cup player Noel Fox intends to play in the qualifying school (as an amateur) before deciding where his future lies. "This is a great win for Irish golf and what is encouraging is that there is a great crop of other young players coming behind."
