AMATEUR GOLF SCENE: Justin Kehoe and the other members of the Ireland elite squad will be hoping to emulate the feat of Michael Hoey when they play in the British Amateur Championship at Royal Portcawl from June 3rd to June 8th.
The Golfing Union of Ireland will break new ground this year when they send a team of seven to the event. In previous years, because of the clash with the East of Ireland Championship at Co Louth, on the same weekend, it had been left to the individual player to decide which championship they played in.
Michael McDermott, who finished third in last week's European Championship in Spain, Irish champion Gavin McNeill, Graeme McDowell, Colm Moriarty, Tim Rice and Johnny Foster, will join Kehoe at Royal Portcawl.
Padraig Dooley of Cork golf club and David Jones from the City of Derry have also made individual entries and it is expected other Irish players may take up the challenge before entries close on May 3rd.
"It's the best championship to play in, with all the top players from around the world taking part," said Kehoe, who added the Midland Scratch Cup at Carlow over the weekend to his list of achievements.
The South of Ireland champion had rounds of 67, 70, 72, 70 for a one-under-par total of 279 in difficult conditions for a three-shot win over Ken Kearney (Roscommon) and six from Johnny Foster (Ballyclare).
Kehoe, who was just one shot behind McDermott in the race for the individual honours after three rounds in Spain says that reading books by American sports psychologist Bob Rotella has helped him greatly in his preparation this year.
Rotella is one of the hottest performance consultants in America and among his many professional clients are Nick Price, Tom Kite, Davis Love, Pat Bradley, John Daly and may more.
"I have learned to pick my targets better and in this way my concentration and my game has improved," said Kehoe.
The Irish elite squad face a busy programme over the next seven weeks starting with the Lytham Trophy at Royal Lytham from May 3rd-5th, followed by the Irish Amateur Open Championship at Royal Dublin (May 10th-12th), Brabazon Trophy at Royal Cinque Port (May 17th-19th), the St Andrews Links Trophy (May 25th-26th) and the British Amateur on the first week in June.
The Irish squad will face the toughest of tests in all these championship. Such is the race for places in the St Andrews Links Trophy that a record 16 countries have made applications to compete. The entry is unsurpassed in the quality of the players from around the globe and a handicap of plus 1.5 or better is needed to be included in the field of 120.
Almost one third of the entries come from overseas with South Africa, Australia, Ireland and Canada all entering squads consisting of their best players and almost certainly their future stars of professional golf.
South Africa's Charl Schwart and Matt Battencourt of the United States share the back markers spot on plus-five handicaps.
Meanwhile, Cork's Clare Coughlan will defend the Munster Ladies Championship at Youghal golf club starting tomorrow.
A field of 49 players will tee-off at Youghal with two qualifying rounds tomorrow from which the top 16 will go forward to the matchplay stages.
The Irish international, who is also a member of the Britain and Ireland squad, will start favourite to defend the title but keen competition could come from a number of young players in the field.
Carlow sisters Tara and Karen Delaney will be hoping to add to their Irish Schools' title won in Milltown last week while Hermitage's Susie Hayes will also have her sights set on a winning start to the season.
