Peter O’Keeffe keeps title defence on course at Irish Close

ON COURSE: Peter O'Keeffe of Douglas Golf Club. Pic: Niall O'Shea

Defending champion Peter O’Keeffe remains on course to match Rory McIlroy and become the first player since the Holywood star to retain the AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship.

The big Douglas man won a strokeplay edition at Tullamore last year but while he also has two wins in the Flogas Irish Amateur Open, he’s never won a matchplay title and he knows he will need his best stuff to achieve that goal this week as he’s found himself in the toughest half of the draw.