Sara Byrne ready for 'super special' Women’s Amateur Championship before going pro

Sara Byrne was unveiled as Dromoland Castle’s touring professional last month came off the back of a Silver Medal finish as leading amateur at last years KPMG Irish Women’s Open.

READY TO GO PRO: Sara Byrne could not ask for a better situation to be in as she tackles the first major event of her final summer before turning professional, in this week’s Women’s Amateur Championship at Portmarnock. Pic. Brian Arthur

Sara Byrne could not ask for a better situation to be in as she tackles the first major event of her final summer before turning professional, in this week’s Women’s Amateur Championship at Portmarnock.

Already signed up as Dromoland Castle’s touring pro for when she leaves the amateur game behind this September, hopefully signing off with a place on the GB & Ireland team at the Curtis Cup, the Douglas GC golfer feels she has all the foundations in place for a freewheeling final lap as an amateur, starting with one of her favourite championships.

“It’s been high on my radar,” Byrne told the Irish Examiner. “It’s always one of my favourite events of the year, such a special week so a lot prep has been going it and obviously having it in Ireland will be super special for my last one.” 

The 22-year-old is part of a 10-strong Irish contingent vying for the prestigious R&A title on home soil this week, all of whom are looking to emulate compatriot and previous champion Leona Maguire. Byrne comes in riding on a wave of confidence after completing her four-year golf scholarship at the University of Miami, not just with a degree in Accounting and Finance but playing some award-winning golf.

A stellar final season with the Hurricanes saw her named 2024 Best Female Student-Athlete and Female Scholar Athlete awards by her university for a campaign highlight by victory at the Hurricane Invitational with winning score of 19-under, 197 that tied for the third-lowest individual 54-hole score in NCAA women’s golf history and rank first in the Miami golf history.

“Honestly, I look back on it and it was the best four years I could have had. It exceeded any expectations I had for it, way more, not just in golf but in life. I made the best friends, I had the best school experience, the best team-mates, just an unbelievable life experience there.

“Living in Miami was certainly a wild time but then looking back on the golf side of things I extracted every single thing I went over there for. I got better technically, mentally, got better as an athlete, just better at every single aspect that I was hoping to.

“Coming out of college all I wanted was to be in a position where I was going to turn pro and it was realistic for me to turn pro and that’s exactly what’s after happening. And to think it actually came out like that is amazing. That was the dream.

“I went over there and I learned from every experience I could and took every single learning possibility out of every coach. I went over like a sponge to get me better and that’s exactly what happened.” 

Byrne’s two wins and eight other top-10 finishes in 10 starts Stateside have cemented her place inside the top 100 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings, currently the highest-ranked Irishwoman at 62 with Ireland team-mate Aine Donegan at 75. The Corkwoman will also tee off at Portmarnock with the the joint-lowest Handicap Index of any player in the field, a +8.2 Index and with a busy summer ahead she is grateful to have so much already in place for the moment she turns pro in September.

Her unveiling as Dromoland Castle’s touring professional last month came off the back of a Silver Medal finish as leading amateur at last years KPMG Irish Women’s Open.

“That was when things really took off. I just got on great with with Eamonn O’Donnell, the director of golf, and everyone, got to know the owner of the whole place, and I felt really welcomed. I had such a great week there and hold such great memories from the Irish Open, it was honestly one of the best weeks of my golfing career. When the time came to it, looking for endorsements and stuff like that, they were open to it with open arms.” 

She credits her father, Derek, for securing the sponsorships she will have in place for her entry into professional golf, when she will chase both LPGA and Ladies European Tour (LET) cards later this year.

“Dad is looking after everything. He’s my manager, he’s currently my caddie and he has done a fantastic job. He’s gotten me my sponsors for the next two to three years. He has been a busy man for the last six, seven months, putting everything together and he did in fairness to him.

“So as of right now I’ve no management company. If we need one we’ll get one but it’s not like we’re in need of one right now. My golf helped but he definitely pushed the boat out as well and managed to get me a lot of good sponsors.

“This is not how I imagined starting off my pro career, having everything sorted through my first two or three years, it just frees me up. All I have to do now is just keep working hard and playing golf, that’s all I have to focus on. It really does let me kind of freewheel it going into professional golf.

“And look, if I get my cards this year, great, that’s exactly the plan. If I don’t I’ll be back on LET Access Tour next year and playing through that. It’s not a life or death situation, so it definitely makes me feel a lot freer and that’s when I play my best golf. I don’t even know how to explain it, it’s surreal.”