The Christmas cobwebs have been barely brushed off and professional golf is already up and running after last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
Seamus Power was Ireland’s lone ranger as he made his competitive return from injury. The Waterford man will be hoping his hip problems are behind him as he aims to return the heights that saw him win twice on the PGA Tour and play in all four majors.
Comeback stories are always worth a mention, but Power just misses out on my list of five Irish stars to keep an eye on this year. With 2024 set to be a huge year for Irish amateur golf as the Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships and Palmer Cup come to Irish soil this list will include a mix of professionals and amateurs.
Rory McIlroy
We’ve been here before. Rory McIlroy will enter his tenth year since he won his fourth and last major at the 2014 PGA Championship in Valhalla and as has now become tradition, the start of every new year is met with the same question: ‘Will Rory win another major?’
The truth is, nobody knows.
Ten years since his last (two members of the top-10 that week Victor Dubuisson and Hunter Mahan are now retired) and it feels like he has used every trick in the book to give himself the best opportunity of breaking his duck.
Rewind twelve months and McIlroy was coming into last year following near misses at all four majors, particularly the Open Championship. It seemed his competitive edge had been fuelled by his staunch defence of the PGA Tour in the face of LIV Golf.
However, when he rocked up to Augusta National ahead of his most recent jaunt at the elusive career grand slam, he appeared a jaded figure and a missed cut ultimately culminated in him softening his stance on LIV and eventually stepping down from the PGA Tour board at the end of 2023.
Now, entering 2024, McIlroy says he wants to solely be a golfer again and leave all off course distractions to one side, while he also intends to play regularly in preparation for the Masters in April.
The Holywood clubman has been remarkably consistent over the last two seasons and has achieved everything in the game since lifting his last major title.
A career that will ultimately be defined by how many major championships he wins, can he finally get back to the big time this year?
Tom McKibbin
From one Holywood clubman to the other and one tipped to follow in the footsteps of his idol. Tom McKibbin enjoyed a successful rookie campaign on the DP World Tour, picking up a thrilling victory at the Porsche European Open in Germany.
McKibbin put together a consistent campaign with seven top-20 finishes although he registered just one other top-10 outside of his victory, a share of ninth place at the Qatar Masters.
A world ranking of 161 isn’t representative of his ability and the goal for the 20-year-old this year will be to become a mainstay in the top-100 and push his way towards the top-10 on the Race to Dubai to earn one of the coveted PGA Tour cards for 2025.
A second DP World Tour win will be top of the agenda which could aid his cause to make his major championship debut this year.
Lauren Walsh
Ireland is producing a crop of top class amateur golfers and the first of those to take the plunge into the professional ranks last year was Castlewarden star, Lauren Walsh.
After a glittering amateur career where she made two Curtis Cup appearances, Walsh helped Wake Forest claim their first NCAA Division 1 Women’s title in her final year as an amateur.
The Kildare woman impressed in several starts on the LET Access Series towards the end of 2023 and earned herself Category 16 on the Ladies European Tour at Q-School over the winter.
Ahead of her first full season as a professional Walsh will be one to watch in Europe alongside Olivia Mehaffey while Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow ply their trade stateside.
Sara Byrne
It won’t be long before Sara Byrne joins Walsh in the pro ranks as she looks to bow out of amateur golf at the end of the season.
The Douglas star enjoyed a breakout year on the amateur scene in 2023, winning the Irish Women’s Close title in Connemara before winning two collegiate events over the fall semester at the Pat Bradley and Hurricane Invitationals.
Byrne made it back-to-back wins at the Hurricane Invitational, including setting a 54-hole scoring record of -19 in the process. The Cork woman had already surpassed the 18-hole scoring record that week with an opening 63 and her 54-hole total is the best in Miami programme history.
Byrne will be hoping to continue her heavy scoring this year with her eyes set on the Women’s Amateur Championship in Portmarnock and on a Curtis Cup place in the summer.
Sean Keeling
If you didn’t know Ireland’s latest teenage sensation, you certainly did after his exploits last September in Rome at the Junior Ryder Cup where he helped spearhead Europe to a sensational victory at Marco Simone.
It capped off a tremendous year for the Roganstown starlet who is set to attend Texas Tech in the autumn.
Keeling went on a prolific run in Spain last winter at various pro and amateur events before picking up the prestigious Scottish Boys Championship title. He also held the 54-hole lead at the Brabazon Trophy before finishing fourth, an indicator he is ready for men’s events.
Destined for a career as a professional Irish golf fans will get plenty of opportunities to see him across the Irish Championships as well as the Amateur Championship in Ballyliffin.
Now on the Irish senior panel for 2024, Keeling should impress in the green jersey.
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