Guiney’s European dream

John Daniel Guiney is a name familiar to golf fans in his native Kerry.

Beyond the county’s boundaries, however, he is something of an unknown — and yet the 28 year-old from Ballybunion is one of a dozen Irish hopefuls who have battled their way into the second stage of the European Tour qualifying process at four venues in Spain next month.

Most of the others have claimed headlines at various stages of their careers. Alan Dunbar and Kevin Phelan distinguished themselves in the Walker Cup, Colm Moriarty and Gareth Shaw have made their mark in the pro ranks and Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney has a South of Ireland Championship on his cv.