British Open Qualifying: Just over nine months ago, Justin Kehoe sank his final putt as an amateur to win Ireland the men's Home Internationals at Ballybunion.
Since then, his career as a fledgling professional has seen the 24-year-old from Birr try his luck on the Challenge Tour - the PGA European Tour's secondary circuit - and also on the EuroPro Tour, a rung down. For the most part, it has been a tough old grind.
Yesterday, though, Kehoe hinted at his enormous potential. In firing a seven-under-par 65 over the Baltray links that later this month plays host to the Nissan Irish Open, Kehoe - who'd love a sponsor's invite to that tournament - secured a place in this weekend's Final Qualifying for next week's British Open at Troon.
Kehoe was by far the most comfortable qualifier from the Co Louth event, finishing five strokes clear of his nearest challengers, Chris Moriarty and Mark Murphy, the latter another former Irish international who is based mainly in the United States these days, where he plays on the mini-tour circuit in Florida.
"I played pretty well, which is good because I've missed the cut in the last three EuroPro events I've played," said Kehoe, who put his return to form down to a lesson he had with coach Denis Pugh in London last week.
"He's got me trying to stay more centred. I was swinging too much back to the right and then again through on the left. He's got me keeping it more compact."
The result was what Kehoe deemed his "best round as a professional", featuring an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys.
The eagle came on the 531-yard sixth, where he hit a four-wood approach to 12 feet and sank the putt. However, the best stretch came from the 13th, where he started a sequence of four successive birdies.
As if to keep his feet on the ground, Kehoe finished his round with a bogey on the par-five 18th, but he could look forward with renewed confidence to the Final Qualifying - "a tournament in itself", he claimed - when he will play 36 holes over Turnberry Kintyre in search of one of the three places into the British Open on offer there.
"Making the transition into the professional ranks takes time," he admitted. "I'm just learning a lot this year; it's all a learning process, about seeing what you have to do."
On this form, even with a number of the Baltray tees moved forward to protect the teeing area in advance of the Irish Open, Kehoe would seem to be going in the right direction.
The eighth qualifying place on offer at Baltray yesterday was secured by amateur Karl Bornemann, who beat Michael Horan and Mark Heinemann on the first tie hole. Kehoe and Colm Moriarty will play at Turnberry Kintyre; Chris Moriarty and Daniel Sugrue will play their final qualifying at Western Gailes; Mark Murphy and Shane Franklin will compete at Glasgow Gailes, while Pádraig Dooley and Bornemann play at Irvine.
Qualifiers: 65 - J Kehoe (Birr); 70 - Chris Moriarty (Donaghadee), M Murphy (Unatt); 71 - P Dooley (Cork), Colm Moriarty (Glasson), D Sugrue (Killarney), S Franklin (Athenry); 72 - K Bornemann (Douglas).
Non-qualifiers: 72 - M Horan (Birr), M Heinemann (Killarney) 73 - J Birch (Unatt), P-O Moeller (Den), J Petke (USA), N Cabrera (Paraguay); 74 - D Rawluk (Island), B Shaw (Doonbeg); 75 - C Finn (Douglas), I Kerr (Carlow DR); 76 - G Hamill (Ardglass), G McLean (Kilkea Castle), D O'Brien (L&B); 78 - J Lascagne (Bel), F Gowen (Ger); 79 - L Johnsson (Swe); 80 - F Tidmark (Swe); 81 - F Isola (Bel), N Baker (Scot), P Geraghty (Unatt); 82 - I Brandssaetter (Serbia-Montenegro); 83 - A Petke (USA); 84 - G Howie (Killarney), G Hendley (Stepaside DR); 88 - J Hellstrom (Swe).
