Twelve months ago, Brian Doran was bashing golf balls in the driving range after missing the cut at the West of Ireland wondering if his sacrifice would be worth it.
It was. A sensational year saw Doran clinch the Mullingar Scratch Cup and win the Bridgestone Order of Merit. But the 2025 season is where he will really taste the fruits of his labour with plenty of adventures to come in a green shirt.
Part of the Golf Ireland High Performance Panel for the first time, this year will be another completely new experience for the Millicent man and he is desperate to enjoy every second of it and admits it would be a dream come true to win silverware with Ireland.
The European Team Championships return to Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, fifty years after it was last staged there, and euros glory is top of Doran’s wish list this season.
“It would be unbelievable to play,” smiles Doran who will still combine shift work at Pfizer with a hectic golfing schedule. “That’s one of the first ones you look at when the fixtures come out. Being at home in Killarney it’s a lovely spot, great town, people and a great golf course so to represent Ireland down there and potentially to win the European Teams would be unbelievable.
“There’s a lot on the list at the minute, a lot of the bigger ones will be WAGR dependent like European Amateur, I’d love to play the US Mid-Amateur in September and of course the European Teams is a big one you want to be part of that and then the World Team Championships in Singapore is another one you want to strive for and Home Internationals.
“There are a lot of big team events and then some individual ones which you want to be part of.
“It’s something I wouldn’t have even thought of last year at all so I am striving towards being on that team.”
The West kicks off in less than a fortnight at County Sligo Golf Club where Doran will be one of the favourites to lift the title.
The 29-year-old has plenty of golf under his belt already having been part of the Golf Ireland pre-season trips to Spain where he played the Octagonal Matches, Spanish Amateur and Euro Nations Cup.
“The season already started abroad and I’m looking forward to getting over to Rosses point in a couple of weeks,” he says. “I hope the weather keeps going the way it has been. It would be nice to have some sunshine and shorts, I’ve got far too used to the Spanish weather over the last three months so looking forward to getting going in Rosses.
“It’s been deadly so far, playing in Sotogrande then San Roque just before the Spanish Amateur so two fabulous golf courses. The golf has kind of been a slow start but just grinding through it at the minute, very fortunate to be part of the Golf Ireland High Performance panel and all the opportunities that come with it.
“This time last year I was just practicing on the range in preparation for the West so very fortunate to be in the position that I am in this year.”
Even getting to know is new teammates is all part of the learning process for Doran who would love to emulate the success of Matthew McClean going forward.
“It’s still new, I was away with Matt McClean recently and he played the Masters a couple of years ago and that was massive, he won the US Mid-Am as well so it’s class to be meeting these fellas for the first time or travelling away with them so it is a bit surreal.”
Team glory would mean the world to Doran but he is still keen to back up what was an amazing individual season with another title this season.
His eyes are fixed on one of the majors and the West would be a great place to start his quest.
“The West on Easter weekend would be a great one to win. We strive to try and progress further after last year. It’s about backing everything up and giving myself the best opportunity to win.
“Winning is hard and making cuts can be hard so I just want to give myself the best chance to get my hands on another trophy and a major please god.”
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