Hugh Foley might have etched his name alongside the Irish greats by adding last year's West of Ireland title to his win in the 2020 Irish Close, but he's determined to tick a few more boxes over the next 18 months before he even dreams of turning professional.
The 24-year-old Royal Dublin international has enjoyed a hugely impressive rise in the game over the last six and a half years, improving from a four-handicap to plus six for this week’s title defence in the Connolly’s Audi-sponsored 99th edition of “the West” at County Sligo.
After winning a 72-hole strokeplay edition of the championship last September in a change brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, Foley is looking forward to a new format this year which will see the 132-strong field play three strokeplay rounds over the next three days with the top 16 going on to battle it out for the title in matchplay combat on Monday and Tuesday.
Given Thursday’s practice round, the new format guarantees every player four games at Rosses Point and with the cream likely to rise to the top, a high-quality last 16 on Monday morning.
Bar the US-based players, the Irish squad has made the trip en masse with the biggest challenge to Foley's reign likely to come from County Sligo's TJ Ford, the reigning AIG Irish Close and Flogas Irish Amateur Open champion Peter O'Keeffe from Douglas, Castle's Robert Moran or Galway's Liam Nolan, to name just four of his international team-mates.
"I've loved Rosses Point since I first went for the qualifier in 2015," said Foley, now a full-time amateur, who knocked out the defending champion Jonny Yates in 2016 and has since transformed his game under Geoff Loughrey and Michael Bannon to such an extent that he has become a contender for a Walker Cup spot next year.
“I’ve missed the cut there twice and really struggled with my game there, but those weeks showed me what I needed to fix.
“I’ve always loved the atmosphere of the place and the great support the members give the event, and I’ve always stuck around there to caddie when I’ve missed the cut. It’s a really nice first event of the year and it’s always been a special place for me.”
Ironically, Foley’s two big Irish titles have come in strokeplay as the 2020 Irish Close was also a card and pencil affair due to the pandemic, so he’s keen to set the record straight, having helped Roganstown win the Senior Cup last year.
"I think I'm a good match player," said the Dubliner, who only lost to eventual champion John Gough on the 20th in the quarter-finals of the recent Spanish Amateur Championship at Sherry Golf in Cadíz.
“I haven’t proved it yet in Ireland, but it would definitely be nice to get into the matchplay and give it a go. It’s a wonderful format.”
Tee-times for Friday and Saturday (in brackets)
7.0 (11.02) G Finnegan (Co Sligo), M McCaughey (Bundoran), B St John (Portmarnock)
7.11 (11.13) P Ó Dochartaigh (Gweedore), T Abom (Edmondstown), R Williamson (Holywood)
7.22 (11.24) D Marshall Jnr (Naas), D Brady (Co Sligo), S McGlynn (Portmarnock)
7.33 (11.35) J Sheahan (Galway Bay), H Fanagan (Milltown), J Boles (Charleville)
7.44 (11.46) H Kane (Bahamas Golf Federation), L Cunningham (Galway Bay), L Abom (Edmondstown);
7.55 (11.57) K Robinson (Castlewarden), A Challoner (Galway Bay), A Kelly (New Forest)
8.06 (12.08) F Dobbin (Malone), J Mitten (Westmanstown), A McNulty (Lahinch)
8.17 (12.19) S Cunningham (Esker Hills), M O'Sullivan (Ballyneety), D Connellan (St Anne's)
8.28 (12.30) K McCarron (North West), R Carvill (Warrenpoint), S Cullen (Slieve Russell)
8.39 (12.41) K Patton (Lisburn), L Lyons (Limerick), S Downes (Royal Dublin)
8.50 (12.52) J Walsh (Douglas), T Byrne (Royal Curragh), E Lisibach (Glasgow)
9.01 (1.03) SO'Connell (Athenry), R Halpin (Dún Laoghaire), R Walsh Jnr (Douglas)
9.12 (1.14) A King (Faithlegg), T Plunkett (Crover House), J Whelan (Grange)
9.23 (1.25) M Cain (Cork), T O'Connor (Athlone), A Barr (Ballymena)
9.34 (1.36) S O'Connor (Castlebar), D McCormack (Corrstown), W Beatty (Greenacres)
9.45 (1.47) C Clarke (Balmoral), A Gaynor (Co. Sligo), S Dowling (The Island);
9.56 (1.58) J Kelly (Ardee), D Muldowney (Carton House), S McDermott (Slieve Russell)
10.07 (2.09) J Lyons (Galway), Q Carew (Castleknock), D O'Sullivan (Tralee)
10.18 (2.20) R O'Connor (Co Sligo), T Cafferky (Ballinasloe), L Kelly (Belvoir Park)
10.29 (2.31) G O'Neill (Malahide), J Hood (Galgorm Castle), R McCrory (Lurgan)
10.40 (2.42) C Murtagh (The Island), J Rowe (Belvoir Park), N Crawford (Mourne);
10.51 (2.53) C Hickey (Dooks), P McGrath (Galway Bay), R Latimer (Clandeboye)
11.02 (7.0) S McLoughlin (Co Sligo), J Fox (Portmarnock), R Brazill (Naas)
11.13 (7.11) B Reilly (Royal Tara), H Gillivan (Westport), T Dowdall (Woodbrook)
11.24 (7.22) J Rackard (Enniscorthy), J Cleary (Elm Park), R Abernethy (Dún Laoghaire);
11.35 (7.33) E McCormack (Galway Bay), E Sullivan (Carton House), S Flanagan (Portmarnock);
11.46 (7.44) A McCormack (Castletroy), J Hayden (Grange), M Deasy (Douglas);
11.57 (7.55) R O'Reilly (Cregmore Park), R Hynes (Oughterard), S Walker (Roscommon)
12.08 (8.06): C Ryan (Bray), M Shiel (Galway Bay), E Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar)
12.19 (8.17): A Marshall (Lisburn), D O'Riordan (Fermoy), C Rafferty, (Dundalk)
12.30 (8.28) C Rabbette (Esker Hills), A Collins (Laytown & Bettystown), S Ryan (Royal Dublin)
12.41 (8.39) S Underwood (Co Sligo), D Flynn (Carton House), M Boucher (Carton House)
12.52 (8.50) E Murphy (Dundalk), T Higgins (Roscommon), J Murphy (Dundalk)
1.03 (9.01) D Shiel (Powerscourt), AJ McCabe (The Links Portmarnock), R Kennelly (Castleknock)
1.14 (9.12) A Dooley (Carton House), A Hill (Roscommon), D Lally (Blainroe)
1.25 (9.23) A Mulholland (Castlerock), G Lappin (Belvoir Park), C Harkin (Letterkenny)
1.36 (9.34) D Reddan Jnr (Nenagh), M Giles (Greenore), A Brady (Co Sligo);
1.47 (9.45) L O'Connor (Edmondstown), K Egan (Carton House), A Hickey (Ballyhaunis)
1.58 (9.56) R Cannon (Balbriggan), M McClean (Malone), A Fahy (Bray)
2.09 (10.07) D Kitt (Athenry), J McDonnell (Forrest Little), A Benson (West Lothian)
2.20 (10.18) S Carroll (Ballybunion), J Hill (Galgorm Castle), C Campbell Jnr (Warrenpoint)
2.31 (10.29) L Nolan (Galway), J Hewitt (Tandragee), R Knightly (Royal Dublin)
2.42 (10.40) TJ Ford (Co Sligo), P O'Keeffe (Douglas), H Foley (Royal Dublin)
2.53 (10.51) R Moran (Castle), S O'Brien (Nenagh), P Coughlan (Castleknock).
