Seán Keeling makes his first appearance since completing his freshman season at Texas Tech when he joins a seven-strong Irish squad at the Home of Golf for the St Andrews Links Trophy.
144 golfers will tee off on the Jubilee Course on Friday before the final three rounds are played on the Old Course and Keeling is joined in the field by John Doyle (Fota Island), Thomas Higgins (Roscommon), Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle), Matthew McClean (Malone), Gavin O’Neill (Malahide) and Luke O’Neill (Connemara).
Also making up the Irish contingent but not part of the travelling squad are Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint), Paul Coughlan (Castleknock), Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) and Brian Doran (Millicent).
Following a top 40 and ties cut on Saturday the leading players will play a final 36 holes on the Old Course on Sunday.
As this is the first event taking place in Great Britain and Ireland after the US collegiate season ended the field is stronger than perhaps anticipated with a higher WAGR rating of 728.6450 compared to the previous two editions so there is plenty at stake for our GB&I Walker Cup hopefuls.
Roganstown star Keeling had limited action Stateside in his first year with Texas Tech but when he played he made the most of it.
The teenager won at the Spring Indy for his maiden collegiate victory while he registered a top-4 finish at The Prestige Invitational as part of his five starts.
Keeling has targeted winning in a men’s championship before and he came close at the 2023 Brabazon Trophy and 2024 AIG Irish Amateur Close but he might take inspiration from 17-year-old Doyle who won the Irish Boys and Ulster Strokeplay in back to back weeks.
“I was pretty disappointed at the time but that’s how you learn by putting yourself in those positions. You learn more when you lose so it’s about using it as something positive instead of getting wrapped up in the negativity of losing or throwing it away. I learned a lot from that day so it can help me if I’m in that position again.
“I want to improve my overall game and try and get a few wins under my belt. Just to have an overall consistent year would be nice,” added the former Junior Ryder Cup star.
This week marks the beginning of the R&A’s Open Amateur Series. The player who gains the most WAGR points in the 2025 St. Andrews Links Trophy, Amateur Championship and European Amateur Championship will earn a spot at Royal Portrush in July.
Alex Maguire was the first beneficiary of this initiative in 2023 when he booked his spot at Royal Liverpool.
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