Over 140 of the best boys players in Ireland will tee off in Athenry on Tuesday looking to become the 2021 Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Champion.
Played over four rounds, the winner will be decided by Friday evening, with the top 50 players and ties after three rounds making the cut.
One player looking forward to playing in Galway is Joseph Byrne. The Baltinglass golfer won the Irish Under-16 Boys’ Amateur Open Championship in 2019 at Donabate.
“I’m feeling good and confident and ready to go for it in Athenry,” Byrne told Golf Ireland ahead of the event. “It was eight months of a break before I got a chance to play the Ulster Stroke Play, so I’m delighted to be back out on the course.”
“I had a top-20 at Royal County Down, but played poorly at the Connacht Stroke Play. I have a poor record in Portumna so I wouldn’t read too much into that. There was plenty to learn, and we just move on.”
Byrne defeated Frank Kennedy and Thomas Higgins by a stroke in Donabate, and he has brilliant memories of that week.
“It was brilliant to win it. I hadn’t the best year, but was still confident that if I went and played well, I could win it. I feel the same ahead of this week. It’s a good confidence booster to know I’ll be against pretty much the same field next week.
“Not many people get the chance to win a national title. I’ll do all I can in Athenry to win a second one.”
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