Keating tops South qualifiers after overcoming rollercoaster college career

Former champion Sean Desmond from Douglas was the last man in after a brace of 73s.

Thu, 24 Jul, 2025 - 21:40

Brian Keogh

His uncle had a No.1 hit with Life Is a Rollercoaster but Seapoint’s Dylan Keating was thrilled to get his career back on more level ground on home soil as he topped the qualifiers for the Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at a sun0-kissed Lahinch.

The 23-year-old Drogheda talent hit the headlines as a 17-year-old teenager when he won Regional Qualifying for the Open at Baltray.

His Uncle Ronan of Boyzone fame frequently gets a mention when he plays well but when officials joked that he had to sing a song from the club balcony for winning the silver medal after he asked if he had any responsibilities, he was happy to hit the high notes on the links.

On a day when a light westerly wind led to some hot scoring, Keating added a four under 68 to his opening 69 to top the qualifiers by a shot on seven under.

Dooks’ Conor Hickey shot a sparkling 65, Tralee’s Mark Gazi a 67, Ballybofey and Stranoloar’s Ryan Griffin a 68 and Royal Dublin’s Sean Downes a 72 to finish tied for second as just seven of the 14 players on two-over made the top 64 who qualified for the matchplay.

Former champion Sean Desmond from Douglas was the last man in after a brace of 73s.

But it was also an important day for Fota Island’s David Howard, the East of Ireland champion, who needed to make the matchplay to keep alive his hopes of winning an automatic spot in the Irish team for next month’s Home Internationals at Woodhall Spa via his top two berth in the Bridgestone Order of Merit.

After opening with a 75, Howard was five over for the championship with six holes to play but covered them in four-under and shot 70 to make the matchplay with a shot to spare on one-over.

He was only marginally less happy than Keating, who admitted he considered quitting the game during his stint at the University of Louisiana Lafayette.

“I felt like I was kind of under forming there for a long time, and to come back home playing well this year, not that I expected to shoot a score like that, it was nice,” Keating said.

“I wouldn’t be shy to say it's been a tough last few years. I was in Houston last year and played an event, and I said to Mum and dad, I think that's it for me in golf. Just mentally, I was struggling. I wasn't keeping the ball on the planet.

“My iron play was bad, my driver was terrible, and even my putting left me for a while.

“When I'm home and comfortable, I think that's what brings out the best of me, and that's probably why I struggled in America, just being homesick constantly.”

The former Boys international harboured dreams of turning professional for a while but he’s put those plans on hold and while he admits it’s “a long shot” he’s hoping to win some events and get himself on the selectors’ radar for next year’s Walker Cup at Lahinch.

Making next year’s Palmer Cup team on his home course Tralee is a goal for Gazi, who is at Northwestern University in Chicago and looking impressive in west Clare.

The 19-year-old made eight birdies in his 67 in just his second South of Ireland appearance and hopes to make a run in the matchplay.

“I’ve done a lot of match play, especially playing Boys Home internationals,” said Gazi, who is travelling with Tralee’s Darren O’Sullivan, who shot 67 to qualify in sixth place on five-under.

“Whoever you are playing, you’ve just goto to beat the man and make sure you do that. It doesn’t matter how you do it, once you do.”

Most of the leading lights, such as former winners Caolan Rafferty and Colm Campbell, made the cut with ease alongside veterans such as Douglas’ Karl Bornemann (level par after two 72s) and Galway’s Joe Lyons, who squeezed through in 63rd place after two 73s.

Hickey, who was joint second on six-under, was delighted to make it after making life tough for himself after an opening 73.

“It was a pretty big improvement over yesterday, anyway,” the 24-year-old said after a round featuring seven birdies and an eagle three at the fourth.

“I hit a few nice shots coming in and birdied the 16th and 18th hopefully I am not out at the crack of dawn.”

Qualifiers

137 Dylan Keating Seapoint 69 68

138 Conor Hickey Dooks 73 65, Mark Gazi Tralee 71 67, Ryan Griffin Ballybofey & Stranorlar 70 68, Sean Downes The Royal Dublin 66 72

139 Darren O’Sullivan Tralee 72 67, Conor Stapleton Westport 67 72, Adam Buchanan Royal Portrush 66 73

140 David Kitt Athenry 71 69, Paul O’Hanlon Carton House 70 70, Quentin Carew Castleknock 67 73

141 Jake Whelan Grange 70 71, Keith Egan Carton House 70 71, Jordan Boles Charleville 69 72, Stephen Loftus Lahinch 69 72, Caolan Rafferty Dundalk 69 72

142 Jamie Butler Naas 74 68, Gavin O’Neill Malahide 73 69, Ross McCormack Palmerstown House Estate 72 70, Niall Hearns Mountrath 71 71, Adam Smith Mullingar 70 72, Mark Cadden. Roganstown 69 73

143 Colm Campbell Warrenpoint 75 68, Charlie Cooley Belvoir Park 75 68, Conor Clarke. Balmoral 74 69, Richard Sykes Dun Laoghaire 73 70, TJ Ford County Sligo 72 71, Eoin Sullivan Portmarnock 72 71, Eoin O’Carroll St Annes 71 72, Jamie Sutherland, Galgorm Castle 71 72, Ben Cahill Dundalk 71 72, Eoin Magill East Clare 70 73, Benjamin Oberholzer Clandeboye 69 74

144 Sean Barry Fota Island 75 69, Colin Woodroofe Dun laoghaire 75 69, Andrew McCormack Castletroy 74 70, Fionn Dobbin Malone 74 70, Joshua Hill Galgorm Castle 73 71, Graham Donohoe Enniscorthy 73 71, Jordan Hood Galgorm Castle 72 72, David Reddan Castleknock 72 72, Karl Bornemann Douglas 72 72, Pat Murray Adare Manor 71 73, David Lally Blainroe 70 74

145 Jake Foley Elm Park 76 69, David Howard Fota Island 75 70, Jonathan Keane Lahinch 75 70, Joe O’Neill Berehaven 74 71, Patrick Curran Edmondstown 73 72, James Maginn Mourne 73 72, Darcy Hogg Belvoir Park 73 72, Dylan Holmes Greystones 73 72, Jason Rackard Bunclody 72 73, Barry Howlin The Heritage 72 73, James Walsh Douglas 71 74, Robert Abernethy Dun Laoghaire 70 75, Barry O’Connell Douglas 70 75

146 Tony Scroope Nenagh 75 71, Liam Abom Edmondstown 75 71, Luke O’Neill Connemara 74 72, Ross Latimer Knock 74 72, Thomas Abom Edmondstown 73 73, Joe Lyons Galway 73 73, Seán Desmond Monkstown 73 73

Non qualifiers

146 Darragh Flynn Carton House 72 74, Luke Cunningham Galway Bay 72 74, Ian O’Connell Castleknock 72 74, Cathal MacCanna Carton House 72 74, Thomas Higgins Roscommon 72 74, John McCarthy Grange 71 75, Luke Kelly Dunfanaghy 69 77

147 Andrew Gavin Black Bush 77 70, Morgan Cain Cork 76 71, Steven Gormley Blainroe 75 72, Thomas O’Connor Athlone 74 73, Ciaran Murphy Grange 73 74, Morgan Crowe Elm Park 73 74, Harry Gillivan Portmarnock 72 75, Charlie McDonnell Concra Wood 71 76

148 Morgan O’Sullivan Ballyneety 75 73, Adam Challoner Galway Bay 75 73, Alan Fahy Dun Laoghaire 75 73, Rían Carvill Warrenpoint 73 75, James Marriott West Surrey 72 76

149 Rory McConnel Belvoir Park 77 72, Aaron Naughton Hermitage 77 72, David Kelly Millicent 76 73, Padraig O Dochartaigh Gweedore 75 74, Paul Coughlan Castleknock 75 74, Cian Poland Elm Park 75 74, Senan Carroll Ballybunion 74 75, David Shiel Enniscrone 74 75, Adam Allahbachani Powerscourt 73 76, Gary Collins Rosslare 73 76, Darren McCormack Corrstown 71 78, John Dillon Lahinch 71 78, Robbie Cannon Balbriggan 70 79

150 Niall Conneely Ballinasloe 79 71, Sean Flanagan Portmarnock 78 72, Jonathan Kelly Athy 77 73, Jack McDonnell The Royal Dublin 77 73, Shea Dorman Bangor 76 74, Jack Murphy Douglas 76 74, Evan Monaghan Tullamore 75 75, Kevin Robinson Castlewarden 74 76, Colum Kenny Portmarnock 73 77;

151 Dan Byrne The Els Club Dubai 80 71, Cian O’Connor Roscommon 77 74, Danny Lyne Lahinch 74 77, Matthew Giles Greenore 73 78

152 Jamie Larkin Palmerstown 79 73, William Josh Nicholl Galgorm Castle 78 74, Jamal Sabir Moate 77 75;

153 Adrian Hiney Moate 80 73, Samuel Gammell Naas 77 76, Andrew Barker Corrstown 76 77

154 Eoin Murphy Dundalk 81 73, Conor McCarthy Headfort 80 74, Niels Knudsen Lyngbygaard 80 74, Ryan Lyons Blarney 80 74, Mikie Grealy Galway Bay 78 76, Aodhagan Brady County Sligo 75 79

155 Cathal Penney Athenry 80 75, Seán McLoughlin County Sligo 80 75, Peter Sheehan Ballybunion 78 77, Calum Ward Carton House 78 77, Julius Sommer Zurich 77 78, Sean Gallagher Castleknock 77 78, Lucas Lyons > Limerick 77 78

156 Neil Patterson Baltinglass 81 75, Jack Doherty Carton House 80 76, Brian Thompson Olympic Club 80 76, Ciaran Gregan Forrest Little 79 77, Brian Doran Millicent 79 77, Lorcan O’Connor Edmondstown 78 78, Luke Furlong Wexford 78 78, Sean Murphy Grange 77 79

157 David O’Malley Black Bush 85 72, Darren Kelleher Blarney 80 77, Robert Walsh Douglas 80 77, Greg O’Mahony Fota Island 77 80

158 Luke O’Dwyer Forrest Little 83 75, Aaron McNulty Lahinch 80 78

159 Conor Dean Dun Laoghaire 80 79

160 Sam Kelly The Island 79 81

162 Cole Haygood Heathrow 83 79, Ryan Murray Balmoral 80 82

163 Dylan Harbourne Grange 81 82, Robert Galligan Elm Park 80 83, Eoin Rogers Killeen Castle 77 86.

Matchplay draw Round one

7.00: Dylan Keating v Seán Desmond

7.09: Eoin Magill v Benjamin Oberholzer

7.18: Caolan Rafferty v Patrick Curra

7.27: Jamie Butler v Joe O’Neill

7.36: Adam Buchanan v Barry O’Connell