The Irish Senior Men’s Amateur Open gets underway on Wednesday morning at Donegal GC with 90 players from five countries competing on the Murvagh links over three rounds with the winner being crowned on Friday evening.
Pat Lyons currently leads the Senior Men’s Order of Merit and is looking forward to testing his skills on the north-west coast after an impressive season.
“It’s been a great 2021, and was the culmination of a lot of hard work, especially over the Winter. I reaped the benefits this Summer from that work at the end of last year,” said Lyons.
Although in his early 60s, Lyons won the Leinster Senior Men’s Open this year and was runner-up at the Ulster Senior Men’s Open. He puts his ability to compete with players a decade younger down to being comfortable with the strengths in his game.
“I accept what I have,” he said. “I don’t hit the ball 300 yards like some of these guys do. It’s all about getting the ball in the hole, and I use those skills I’ve learned through the years to do that.
“It’s all about sticking with a game plan that I’ve used for 30 or 40 years. For me, avoiding trouble off the tee was always my forte. If I am driving the ball well, I can plot my way around any course.”
Lyons came T10 in the Irish Senior Men’s Amateur Close in July but he has not set any targets for the next three days in Murvagh.
“I want to play well. I never set the bar too high. If I play well, and get into contention, the goalposts will change. I want to enjoy myself too. The Seniors events are like a family. I can’t wait to meet some of the players I’ve competed against for years.”
The top-54 and ties will make the cut on Thursday evening, with the final round set for Friday.
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