US Open debutant Phelan proud of his Waterford roots

OFFICIALLY he’s playing in his first major as an American from St Augustine in Florida.

But proud Waterford amateur Kevin Phelan will be announced as a representative of Ireland when he steps up to hit his first tee shot at Pebble Beach on Thursday afternoon.

A resident in Jacksonville and one of the leading players on the golf team at the University of North Florida, dual-citizen Phelan has been living on cloud nine since he holed a flop shot for an eagle three on the final hole at McArthur Golf Club in Hobe Sound eight days ago and closed with a 65 to finish joint first in the 36-hole sectional qualifying race for three spots here this week.

It’s the stuff of dreams but Phelan, the New York-born son of former Irish international squash player John, looked as cool as the morning air as he teed it up alongside former US Open champion Jim Furyk and big-hitting sensation Ricky Barnes for his first official practice round.

The teenager nervelessly drilled a fairway wood straight down the fairway, knocked his second shot inside Barnes’ effort from the rough and two putted comfortably for an opening par as Furyk was forced to chip up from short of the green.

“It’s great to be here and the course is absolutely unbelievable,” Phelan said before his round. “I am just trying to get used to being out here and get comfortable for Thursday. I lived in Waterford and I still consider myself a Waterford man, definitely. I tried to get them to change my country to Ireland in the draw but I don’t know if they can do that. But they will definitely announce me as being from Ireland on the first tee, so at least I have that.”

Drawn with unheralded qualifiers Mark Silvers and Jason Preeo for the first two days, Phelan is determined to go out and enjoy himself no matter what happens.

“I am not sure how I am going to stack up against these guys,” said Phelan, who is majoring in Business Management at the University of North Florida. “I am just going to go out and play my best and enjoy it. We’ll see how it goes. I’d like to finish college and if I can keep getting better I’d like to turn pro after that.”

A plus two handicapper, Phelan moved back to Ireland with his family when he was three and played junior golf at Waterford Castle before moving back to Florida aged 12.

Considering he was a 19 handicapper when he settled in Jacksonville, his presence this week is a testament to his sporting genes.

His father John, 46, hails from Waterford city, “up by Walsh Park” and represented Ireland at junior and senior level at squash.

He became a squash professional, initially working in Germany before moving to the United States with his close friend, Eoin O’Neill.

“I went to New York and Eoin to San Francisco,” explained Phelan Snr, who ran The Reginald Restaurant and Bar in Waterford City for eight years before selling up and moving to the Florida sun. “After the kids were born, we decided to go home and rear them in Ireland.”

As for his son’s golfing ability, he joked: “It’s the weather. At home, any time you’ve a good day, you always take advantage of it and go out and play. Every day is sunny in Florida, so we literally played every day.”

Phelan Snr now owns a bar-restaurant in Jacksonville and his son will not be short of help with his great sporting adventure at Pebble Beach.