'You never know what can happen' - Teenager Seán Keeling dreaming at Irish Open

Seán Keeling of Ireland, with his caddy Padraig O Dochartaigh, lines up his tee shot on the 10th tee box during day two of the Irish Open. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Seán Keeling’s Amgen Irish Open run will continue into the weekend following another composed round of golf for the teenage amateur around Royal County Down on Friday.

The 17-year-old from Roganstown, who had finished an impressive, bogey-free first-round 70 in near darkness on Thursday, returned the following morning and survived a more uneven experience to post a one-over 72 to come in comfortably under the halfway cutline at level par.

The 17 consecutive pars, capped off by a birdie at the last, had been a morale-boosting introduction to the Tour life for the student who chose not to do his Leaving Certificate this summer and instead passed his SATS entrance exams to take up the golf sponsorship at Texas Tech University.

Keeling had flown back from his US college on a special dispensation from his coach to play his national open and the cool way he negotiated his bumpier second round was a further vindication of his coach’s belief in his abilities.

The teenager was understandably pleased to have reached the final 36 holes this weekend but such was his confidence he felt he might have been teeing off for his third round on Saturday in an even better position.

“The way I played the last few days I feel I could very easily be four or five shots better, so if I can play like that again I will hopefully get a few breaks go my way and if I can hole a few putts you never know what can happen,” Keeling said following his 72.

“A few mistakes on the front nine sort of put me under pressure going into the back nine but I steadied the ship a bit and handled it well. I made some key putts on six and seven, so overall I was pretty good apart from those few mistakes on the front nine. It felt like it could have been a bit better but happy enough to be playing the weekend.” 

Seamus Power plays a shot from the rough on the 8th. Picture: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Keeling is even relishing the tougher conditions forecast for the third round with the wind which picked up late on Friday afternoon expected to stiffen further on Saturday with the likelihood of squally rain an additional burden, if one chooses to make it so.

“I am going to enjoy those conditions, embrace it rather than get annoyed about it. I am happy to be through and to have a chance at the weekend.” 

With former Irish Open winners Rory McIlroy, on four under, and Shane Lowry at one under, while Tom McKibbin sits at one over, following their morning rounds, Seamus Power was the only afternoon starter among the home contingent who will join them for the weekend’s play.

The PGA Tour winner, playing his way back into some consistency following a debilitating hip injury, joined McKibbin on one over par for 36 holes with a round of 69 that included six birdies and also featured double bogeys on the par-four eighth and 13th holes.

"I made mistakes there so realistically I wasn't going to get anything better than bogeys so they were pretty good doubles, interestingly so,” Power said.

"I misjudged two lies poorly which is disappointing. Got greedy on 8 and on 13, I didn't think it would jump like that then you're hitting four from a long way away. I was able to limit the damage and bounce back so I should be proud of that but two double bogeys is a little frustrating."

Nor was it an enjoyable day for the rest of the Irish, with Simon Thornton, amateur Max Kennedy, Padraig Harrington, Conor Purcell, Gary Hurley and Mark Power all falling the wrong side of the cutline at two over par.

That leaves five Irishmen to fly the flag over the remaining 36 holes.