The practice putting green is awash with star players on the eve of the Amgen Irish Open at Doonbeg. One child relentlessly calls Brooks Koepka’s name, desperate for his hero to give him that once in a lifetime autograph. At the other end of the scale, the lesser known Thomas Higgins is put through his paces as he starts a professional journey that he hopes will earn him such fandom.
Right now, it is strictly business for Higgins who doesn’t afford himself a glance at the five-time major winner, Masters winner Danny Willett, Joaquin Niemann or Pádraig Harrington. The hard work is done ahead of his 10.05 am tee time alongside Shaun Norris and Kota Keno.
“I can’t wait for the week it has already been unreal. I’ve had some great experiences already, absolutely buzzing to get started and can’t wait to get cracking,” said Higgins who played a Monday practice round with Shane Lowry and Harrington as he gets welcomed into the Irish tour circle.
It was a brief taste of what life at the top is like for the Roscommon star who came through Stage One of DP World Tour Q-School a fortnight ago. He may be off broadway for now as US President Donald Trump’s arrival dominates an Irish Open field littered with big names but he is keen to rub shoulders and show he can compete at this level.
“You’re doing something right if you are surrounded by those guys. It’s brilliant, a great experience. I had a nice practice round with Harrington and Lowry on Monday, a nice nine holes. It was just great to play with them and learn a bit. I hadn’t met them before, Shane came out and supported us at Home Internationals but hadn’t met him properly. It was a great experience playing with them I wasn’t really talking to them a whole pile, I am more an observational learner. I just watched how they go about their business and how they play their practice rounds so it was good.”
If you’re going to make your professional debut there’s no better place than to do it on home soil. It’s very much a case of ripping off the plaster for Higgins who could set himself up for a nice payday at the $6m event in Doonbeg – Mark Power pocketed over 30,000 on his debut at the K Club three years ago.
It is a completely new experience for the 23-year-old who knows part of the challenge will be to not get over awed by the occasion.
“That’s something that me and a few others have talked about it is a balance that I need to strike. Being here having taken it in as an experience but also trying to get my work done to compete because you need to balance that you never know what can happen. I’ve done that very well so far just finished a great practice session there and Monday and Tuesday were great so I’ve done a good job balancing learning a bit and having a few cool experiences but also being prepared for the tournament and ready to compete tomorrow morning.”
Higgins has had a terrific season which proved to be the final chapter of his amateur career, winning the Irish Close and playing a key role in European and Home International success for Ireland – holing the winning putt in the former. But he didn’t quite get the grand finale at the Walker Cup when he was edged out of Dean Robertson’s GB&I team by Jack Whaley’s US Amateur victory.
“I saw a small bit of it. Thrilled for the lads and thrilled for Dean as well. I would have loved to be a part of it but I felt like I couldn’t have done much more. Fair play to Jack [Whaley] for winning the US Amateur that’s some achievement. It was amazing scenes down there and got to see a bit on Sunday before I got down here so delighted for them.”
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