Keith Egan’s memories of winning the West of Ireland only a month ago will be very fresh in the mind and he hopes to tap into those special moments as he plots a weekend charge for a Rosses Point double at the Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open Championship.
The Carton House man is back at the site of his West victory at County Sligo Golf Club and the congratulatory handshakes are still coming his way from the locals which is something he appreciates greatly.
“Weird actually! A little bit strange but it’s cool, meeting all the members, people coming up and congratulating me and I’ve good memories on the course so it’s been nice.”
Egan was back at County Sligo Golf Club a couple of weeks ago for a West of Ireland celebratory champions dinner and the Kildare man was alongside the likes of Jack Hume, Declan Brannigan, Jonny Yates and Des Smyth, to name a few.
“That was surreal, we had a good piss up in the clubhouse and played golf that morning. That was the icing on the cake. I have good memories here now especially this year and I want to feed that into my golf as much as I can.”
As you walk in the doors of the clubhouse, on your right is the famous board with an illustrious list of West of Ireland winners which Egan is now a part of. Just below that is his photograph with the trophy which will remain in the clubhouse as part of history.
“I make sure I go in that door every time I come in so it’s cool, seeing my name on the wall is something that doesn’t get old,” smiled Egan.
As for his hopes of a West of Ireland, Irish Amateur double at Rosses Point, things were going along swimmingly for Egan who climbed to five-under through 14 holes with birdies on the third, fifth and twelfth and just one shot off the pace.
Without a bogey in 31 holes he dropped three shots in a row coming home to slip to two-under and now six shots behind Liam Nolan who has torn into the first seven holes of his second round.
“I played very well the first 13 holes, just didn’t have it on the greens today at all. I had to stay patient and I’ll have a good go tomorrow.
“I’d say the wind is two, two and a half clubs harder. 17, didn’t get there in two, it gives doubt hitting second shots into greens. They are a bit faster too which is harder in the wind.”
Perhaps, he would have had the head down had he not won the West last month. Now he knows he is playing well enough to win again if he can hole a few more putts over the weekend.
“There’s a lot of good, solid golf there, wasn’t in position to make mistakes and bogeys which is hard to do around here. I know I can do that so if I can hole a few more putts I can give myself a good chance.”
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