For Euro hero Higgins, Lahinch opens up major career gateway

Higgins admits a Walker Cup selection would complete the 'best week ever'

CLINCHER: Roscommon's Thomas Higgins sinks the winning putt for Ireland at the European Amateur Team Championships in Estonia.

He had his 50 degree in his hands, there were 141 yards to the flag, the wind was hurting slightly but coming from the rough he was confident it was the right club.

With the weight of the world on his shoulders, and the heartbreaking memories of 12 months previous, Thomas Higgins played the shot of his life to 22-feet.

His tee shot had finished up in the water but suddenly, he could pile on the pressure with this putt. He accounted for the small bit of right to left break and drilled it into the back of the cup.

Estonian Kevin Christopher Jegers missed, and the Irish went wild as the hosts slumped to their knees. If ever there was a case of you have to lose one to win one, this was it.

Last year, Kristian Hjort Bressum took Higgins to the 20th hole in the decisive match of their semi-final in Killarney. The Dane came out victorious as the Irish missed a golden opportunity along the banks of Lough Leane.

A year older and wiser, Higgins was able to hold his nerve at Estonian Golf & Country Club for the sweetest of victories in the European Amateur Team Championship final.

“There were no tears really once he missed the putt, but I was just like oh my God, we have just won,” said Higgins.

“It was almost a bit of disbelief, it was surreal, I was a bit shocked. It all happened really quickly, from holing that putt and going silly with Gav. The whole place erupting and then 30 seconds later we had won.

“It was a mad feeling. I remember the next few hours, the walk into the clubhouse, I still couldn’t believe that putt went in and we had won. It was mental.” 

The 23-year-old hails from the outskirts of Roscommon Town and he played rugby and Gaelic football growing up. Coming from a football stronghold that has dominated the province this year, he has two cousins who were part of the Roscommon minor and U-20 sides who annexed Connacht titles.

But Higgins focused on his golf game in his early teens, and he came through at a time when fellow Roscommon hopefuls Cian O’Connor and Simon Walker were also showing promise.

“Dad brought me out when I was younger and introduced me to the game, I enjoyed it growing up and it was the friends I had there,” said Higgins.

“We had a really good bunch in Roscommon. I loved being out at the golf club, hanging out with the lads, and playing 36 holes, and I was pretty good at it too.

“Cian is one of my best friends and we have grown up together; he is just three months younger. I have known him since I was seven or eight. We have gone to everything together, I don’t know how many tournaments but it’s a lot.

“Simon was there as well, he was a really good junior golfer, played lots of good men’s events too. I have known Simon since I was that age as well. He was part of that group; we would have all grown up together.

“Me, Simon, Cian, Fionn Hoare is very good too, us four would have played U-14, U-16 and boys’ golf. There would have been a few of us there playing underage junior golf all the way up.” 

Higgins had his first big win at the Munster U14s in Kanturk, he also played Reid Trophy and Scottish U14 that year.

“From a very early age, I wanted to play on Tour and be a professional golfer. I would have spent all day every day at the golf club practising and playing against the lads. Competing and going all around the country playing competitions,” said Higgins.

“Ireland gave you a small bit of gear to go to some events abroad which was really cool. I remember getting a hat and stuff when I was 14, I thought it was the coolest thing ever.” 

Winning the 2018 Ulster Boys’ as a 15-year-old was another huge step in the right direction. That was a stacked field, with future DP World Tour winner Tom McKibbin and Golf Ireland Professional Max Kennedy part of a start-studded lineup.

Higgins won by five shots in Royal Portrush and a couple of years later, when he was in fifth year at Roscommon CBS, he verbally committed to Clemson University. He signed on officially in November of the following year and he went to study Health Science in South Carolina in 2022.

There was a subsequent switch to Psychology, which he studied for four years before finishing up last May.

“I absolutely loved Psychology, part of the reason I chose it is for golf as well,” said Higgins.

“Probably the biggest thing I learned is my overall perspective. Learning about psychology and the brain and stuff that happens, it gives you a great perspective on life. Stuff happens that you don’t take too seriously.

“There is going to be ups and downs. Whatever happens, deal with it. Obviously on the surface, everything matters but underneath that nothing matters in the grand scheme of things. That frees me up on the golf course.” 

It was never more important than on the 20th hole in Estonia where he had to go to hell and back, compartmentalise, and end an 18-year wait for Ireland. On Wednesday, he tees it up in Lahinch looking to win the South of Ireland for the first time and put himself in the reckoning ahead of the Walker Cup back here in September.

“I will be heading into the pro ranks after the Walker Cup, regardless of if I make the team or not,” said Higgins. “I’m really excited for that new chapter, and that part of my life to get going, I wanted to be a professional golfer since I was about 12 years old.

“But this is a huge week in the selection process. Dean Robertson outlined that at the start of the year, he said you need to play the South and if you are not playing you are probably not playing Walker Cup.

“It will be an enjoyable week, the South is always a great event, now that they have such a great field this year, it will be the best ever, it is going to be class. My game is in a good spot and it has been for a while. I am happy where it is at and ready to give it a run, hopefully do some damage.

“Walker Cup in Lahinch would be incredible, that would be just the cherry on top. It would be the best week ever."