Amateur Close returns to Mayo golf club after 20 years
By Paul O'Neill
ALL roads lead to Westport next weekend when the Irish Amateur Close Championship returns to Westport after an absence of 20 years.
The Fred Hawtree designed course will prove a worthy test for a field of in excess of 100 golfers who will face 72 holes of strokeplay on a course measuring just over 7,000 yards.
The event was last hosted in Carrowholly back in 2005 when the planets aligned for what would turn out to be the most famous week in the club’s history.
The weather played its part during the 36-hole qualifying event on the opening two days. In perfect conditions, Sean McTiernan recorded a course record 61, a record that many believe will never be surpassed.
There was no sign of this magnificent achievement after an opening three pars but in his remaining 15 holes Sean produced the goods with a glorious chip in eagle on his penultimate hole as one of many highlights.
Two weeks prior to the Close that year Brian McElhinney won the Amateur Championship and was happy to bring one of the most famous trophies in golf to Carrowholly where he would attempt to defend his Irish title. A magnificent gesture from Brian which was gratefully appreciated by the members who took the opportunity of posing with the trophy during its stay.
The Amateur trophy inscriptions of previous winners gives a unique insight into the history of golf and was the first trophy many would have seen with a reference to Bobby Jones.
The big news, of course, back in 2005 was the emergence of Rory McIlroy. I had travelled to Baltray for the East of Ireland a few weeks previously to meet with him and his dad Gerry to confirm his attendance at the Close and to offer any assistance with his preparation. Although only 15 at the time he struck me as somebody who was mature beyond his years and I headed home from Drogheda with a real sense of excitement.
Rory comfortably qualified for the matchplay stages and after having a slight loss of concentration on the 9th in his opening matchplay encounter, he advanced to the final where he would play Eddie McCormack.
For the record, Harry Diamond also made the semi-final stages back in 2005 but Rory was the only story in town and he delivered with a 3&2 victory in the final.
Although we don’t seem to have a similar type story developing for 2025, there is great excitement amongst the members who along with the golf team have been working tirelessly over the last few months to have everything in place for this weekend.
As ever, the warmest of welcomes will be offered to the competitors, their families, the representatives from Golf Ireland and the golfing public who arrive in Mayo later in the week to be a part of the Irish Amateur Close Championship.
* Read Paul O'Neill's Golf World column in our print edition every Tuesday