Not since Rory McIlroy’s back to back victories in 2005 and 2006 has a player successfully defended the Connolly Motor Group West of Ireland Championship, but Keith Egan looks as well placed as any champion over the last two decades to at least have a decent shot at history.
McIlroy’s name has been whispered at almost every turn around County Sligo Golf Club this week with a combination of his Masters victory and his first West of Ireland title twenty years ago making him a hot topic of conversation.
Egan won one of the more dramatic editions of this great championship twelve months ago and after qualifying for the matchplay with relative ease in horrendous conditions, he took care of Geoff Lenehen and local favourite Aodhagan Brady with aplomb to book his spot in Easter Sunday’s last-16.
The Carton House golfer will take on James Walsh of Douglas on Sunday morning with the winner advancing to play either Sligo native Barry Anderson or David Reddan but Egan isn’t thinking of potential pathways to the final or a brush with McIlroy’s legacy in the record books.
“It’s tough whenever someone compares you to Rory McIlroy or anything that he has done you just have to not ignore it but you’re just talking about a completely different animal,” said Egan who beat Lenehen 4&3 before recovering from an early two hole deficit to beat Brady 3&2.
Egan’s title defence has gone swimmingly so far but even dealing with the extra bit of attention and special meaning of being a West of Ireland champion has changed his mindset this year.
“I’m trying to take this year as it is. I was in a certain mindset last year but this year I am a little calmer because I know I have done it here before and I have more confidence in what I am doing. I still have the same type of excitement but it’s a little different.
“I’ve been here a lot since I won last year so I feel like I know the course even better than I did last year. I know what works from last year in terms of my routine. The excitement of seeing my name on the board and the memories hits a little bit different.”
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