In 2017 Robert Abernethy blew the Connolly Motor Group West of Ireland Championship wide open when he knocked out leading qualifier and tournament favourite Conor O’Rourke as a plucky seventeen-year-old. Eight years on he has the target on his back heading into the matchplay stages at County Sligo Golf Club.
Abernethy topped the 36-hole qualifying to claim the Pat Ruddy Cup after he added a round of the day 68 to his opening 76 for a two-over total on another wet and windy day at Rosses Point.
“I’m delighted with that, happy to come in I played very solid today. After yesterday the conditions were slightly easier but still tough, got a lot of rain for the last few holes but delighted,” said the 25-year-old who now works as a portfolio control analyst with Vanguard.
The Dun Laoghaire golfer has Scottie Scheffler features through his appearance, grip, swing and of course, the footwork. Although he hasn’t hit the heights since beating O’Rourke in the last-32 as a teenager. In fact, a run to the last-16 that year remains his best finish at the West of Ireland.
“I want to be here later on in the week. We’ll see. Hopefully. I am a better golfer than I was back then anyway,” he said.
Abernethy, had to pre-qualify eight years ago and such was his surprise when he came through the 36-hole proper, he hadn’t packed enough clothes for a deep run in the knockout stages.
His parents had to rush up the N4 to deliver the extra gear. This time around he is fully stocked with plenty of extra layers waiting for him at his B&B in Sligo Town.
“I still get slagging from the lads. The Galway races were in for 2017 but yeah I am fully packed for tomorrow. I am well prepared this time,” he laughed.
Having a sense of humour could be key for the Dubliner who has taken on an extra sense of determination to have a good season. Despite showing promise as a youngster, Abernethy has yet to clinch silverware since winning the Leinster U15 Boys Championship.
“Nothing of note, a lot of good finishes,” said Abernethy who wants more than just the leading qualifier gong this weekend.
“I’ve put in a lot of work over the winter so tried to get up to Dun laoghaire a lot after work most days working at most parts of the game and I was glad to see some results I was prepared for today.
“Shoutout to Gordon Smyth in Slieve Russell. It’s been really good for me. I needed to do something he has made a massive difference to my pace putting but also inside ten feet.”
If, and this is a big if, as the leading qualifier rarely goes all the way, then his jumping jacks in between shots will become the stuff of legend. It’s been that type of weather for the first two days in Sligo and long delays between shots coming down the stretch in heavy rain on Saturday meant he was doing everything to keep warm.
“My caddie Sam was telling me to do them yesterday I was so cold so I kept at them today.”
As for his golf, Abernethy took advantage of the more benign conditions earlier in the afternoon as he rolled in three birdies in five holes before the turn to put himself in contention to be the leading qualifier.
His favourite birdie came on the 11th hole when after three putting the tenth for his only bogey of the day he rallied with a cool 15-footer to go out in front on his own again.
“I liked eleven because I three putted ten and hit a nice wedge into eleven and held a nice right to lefter from fifteen feet so I would say that was the pick of them.”
An early evening deluge peppered the links but Abernethy held firm, holing from six feet on the par-3 16th after missing the green right and a cracking drive and 2-iron into the heart of the beastly par four 17th set up a routine two-putt par and he made no mistakes going up the last.
“The rain was properly down on 17 so I was happy to see the 2-iron stay up on top of the hill and I was happy to two-putt from there, the greens got a lot trickier as they got wet.”
Abernethy will face Greg O’Mahony at 7am in the last-64.
Draw HERE
Leave a comment