John Doyle to play in Amgen Irish Open

IRISH OPEN: John Doyle in action at the European Amateur Team Championships in Killarney. Pic: @Laszlo Geczo/Inpho.

Fota Island teenager John Doyle will play in next week’s Amgen Irish Open after he received a Golf Ireland invitation.

The 18-year-old, who is part of Golf Ireland's High Performance programme, has had a phenomenal year with wins at the Flogas Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Championship and Munster Men’s Amateur Open Championship.

Doyle also finished runner-up in the St Andrews Links and Carris Trophy while he represented Ireland at the European Amateur Team Championships in Killarney and Men’s & Women’s Home Internationals in England. More recently Doyle was part of the GB&I team in the Jacques Léglise Trophy and has been selected to represent Europe at the Junior Ryder Cup.

Doyle, 418th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, will join a strong home contingent in the field at The K Club with Golf Ireland Professionals Mark Power and Max Kennedy also set to take their place in the field. Robert Moran has qualified after he finished as the leading Irish player at the Irish Challenge in Killeen Castle earlier this month.

Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Tom McKibbin, Seamus Power, Padraig Harrington and Conor Purcell are also challenging for the title, and Golf Ireland High Performance Director Neil Manchip said this is a huge opportunity for Doyle.

“We are delighted to give John his chance on a major stage like this next week at The K Club,” said Manchip.

“He has had an outstanding campaign, right from the very outset where he had two wins in quick succession at Cork Golf Club. This experience will be invaluable to his development and he deserves his opportunity on the big stage.”