Keeling can match McIlroy by winning “Close” at 17

Roganstown’s Seán Keeling will be bidding to become the youngest AIG Irish Amateur Close winner since Rory McIlroy in 2006 when he takes a four-stroke lead into the final two rounds at Dun Laoghaire on Sunday.

Seán Keeling (Roganstown) Photo: Thos Caffrey / Golffile

With his game shaper than ever following an unbeaten performance in Ireland’s Home Internationals win in Scotland, the Dubliner (17) is looking to head off to Texas Tech on a scholarship next week with his first Irish senior title under his belt.

The reigning Flogas Irish Boys’ Amateur Open champion, who is a product of the Made In Holywood Academy under coach Geoff Loughrey, backed up his brilliant opening 66 with a 69 to lead by four shots from Millicent’s Brian Doran and Edmondstown’s Thomas Abom on nine-under.

“It just brings a lot of positivity. When you win as a team, it almost feels a little bit better; you are on such a high,” Keeling said. “It was nice coming into this week with that.

“I have played a lot of good golf this year, but I haven’t been able to score as well, so it’s nice this week to keep playing pretty good. My putting was a lot better than it has been, so I’m happy with that.

“There is a long way to go so just keep the head down and play and see where that leads us tomorrow.”

Abom followed his first-round 66 with a 73 to share second place with recently crowned Mullingar Scratch Trophy winner Doran, who shot a 70.

“Mullingar still hasn’t sunk in at all because every event is coming up one after another,” said Doran, runner-up to American Patrick Adler in the South of Ireland at Lahinch before winning in Mullingar the following week.

“It just shows, after winning that, even when you are not playing your greatest and you can scramble and keep yourself in it, the good holes will come.

“We all want one of the big six. It’s nice to win anywhere, but one of the Majors would be great to have on the CV.”

Slieve Russell’s Shane McDermott is five behind Keeling after a 73, but there is a lot of quality in red figures and 36 holes to play.

Former winner Hugh Foley from Royal Dublin, the ever-improving Gerard Dunne from County Louth and Dun Laoghaire’s Richard Sykes are lurking just six shots behind Keeling on three-under.

“Major” winners TJ Ford and Colm Campbell are just a shot further back with former West of Ireland winner Alan Fahy, international David Shiel, and the up-and-coming Malahide star Gavin O’Neill tied for eighth on one-under.

McIlroy won the Irish Close at age 16 at Westport in 2005 before retaining the title at 17 at The European Club in 2006.

AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close, Dun Laoghaire GC (Par 72)

After 36 holes:

135 Sean Keeling (Roganstown) 66 69

139 Brian Doran (Millicent) 69 70,
Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 66 73

140 Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell) 67 73

141 Hugh Foley (Royal Dublin) 70 71, Gerard Dunne (Co. Louth) 69 72, Richard Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) 68 73

142 TJ Ford (Co. Sligo) 73 69, Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) 73 69

143 Alan Fahy (Dun Laoghaire) 72 71, David Shiel (Enniscrone) 71 72, Gavin O'Neill (Malahide) 68 75

145 Brendan Smyth (Howth) 73 72, Lewis Gowdy (Bangor) 73 72, Jack McDonnell (Royal Dublin) 72 73, Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) 72 73, Quentin Carew (Castleknock) 71 74, Graham Donohoe (Enniscorthy) 70 75

146 Allan Kiernan (Forrest Little) 75 71, Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden) 72 74, Jake Whelan (Grange) 71 75, Kevin LeBlanc (The Island) 71 75

147 Charlie Smyth (Slieve Russell) 76 71, David Kitt (Athenry) 76 71,
Seán McLoughlin (Co. Sligo) 74 73,
Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint) 74 73,
Darren McCormack (Corrstown) 73 74, James Walsh (Douglas) 73 74, Colin Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire) 72 75, Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) 69 78

148 Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) 75 73, Jack Blake (The Island) 74 74, Louis Goodman (Co. Louth) 74 74, David Lally (Blainroe) 74 74, Adam McCormick (Scrabo) 74 74, Calum Ward (Carton House) 73 75, Conor Hickey (Dooks) 72 76

148 Luke O’Neill (Connemara) 72 76, James McMaster (Holywood) 71 77, Aaron Marshall (Lisburn) 69 79

Missed the cut

149 Timothy Jordan (Dungannon) 79 70, Evan Farrell (Co. Louth) 77 72, David Reddan (Nenagh) 75 74, Ian Lynch (Rosslare) 74 75, Darragh Flynn (Carton House) 74 75, Ruairi O’Connor (Co Sligo) 73 76, Robert Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire) 73 76, Jake Foley (Elm Park) 72 77, Josh McCabe (Roganstown) 70 79, Mark Shanahan (Rosslare) 70 79

150 Paddy Quill (Cork) 79 71, Keenan (Belvoir Park) 77 73, Seamus Cullen (Slieve Russell) 76 74, Rory McConnell (Belvoir Park) 74 76, Adam Kelly (Portarlington) 74 76, Donnacha Cleary (Tipperary) 72 78

151 Paul O’Hanlon (Carton House) 76 75, Liam Abom (Edmondstown) 74 77, David Marshall (Naas) 74 77

152 Tadhg Burns (Headfort) 77 75, Jordan Boles (Charleville) 77 75, Ross Mc Cormack (Palmerstown House) 77 75, Adam Fahey (Portmarnock) 76 76, Cathal MacCanna (Carton House) 76 76, Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan) 76 76, Aaron Naughton (Hermitage) 76 76, Evan Shipp (Headfort) 73 79, Adam Smith (Mullingar) 73 79

153 David Howard (Fota Island) 78 75, David Brady (Straffan) 73 80

154 Sean Cooper (Enniscorthy) 81 73, Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock) 79 75, Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock) 78 76, Eoin Magill (East Clare) 78 76, Daniel McKenna (Co. Louth) 76 78, Ryan McNelis (Fintona) 76 78, Dean O’Riordan (Fermoy) 75 79, Jason Rackard (Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club) 74 80

155 Mark McKenna (Dun Laoghaire) 79 76, Alan Donnelly (Milltown) 78 77, Benjamin Oberholzer (Clandeboye) 78 77, Eoin Murphy (Dundalk) 78 77, Graham Callaghan (Co. Louth) 77 78, Peter Kirby (Dun Laoghaire) 77 78, Mark Doogue (Castleknock) 76 79, Simon Walker Roscommon 75 80, Mark Muldoon (Royal Dublin) 73 82

156 Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) 83 73, John Dillon (Lahinch) 81 75, James Stenson (The Island) 79 77, Colm Hughes (Galway) 77 79, Conor Byrne (Strabane) 72 84, Harry Gillivan (Portmarnock) 70 86

157 Ben Murray (Lee Valley) 81 76, Jack Murphy (Fota Island) 79 78, Ciaran Smyth (Ballinasloe) 79 78, Eoin O’Carroll (St Anne’s) 79 78, Gary Cullen (Malahide) 76 81, Eoin Leonard (Wentworth) 76 81, Lucas Lyons (Limerick) 76 81, David O’Malley (Black Bush) 76 81, Evan Colley (Grange) 75 82, Michael Eastwood (Belvoir Park) 74 83

158 Patrick Curran (Edmondstown) 81 77, Cian Harkin (Letterkenny) 78 80, Ian O’Connell (Castleknock) 77 81

159 Conor Stapleton (Connemara) 81 78, Adam Allahbachani (Powerscourt) 81 78, Dave Lowry (Corrstown) 78 81, Michael Nicholson (Antrim) 74 85

160 Rafael Poli (Helen’s Bay) 80 80, Thomas Plunkett (Crover House) 77 83, Mark Cadden (Roganstown) 77 83, Mark Allen (Florida State Golf Association) 76 84

162 Marc Nolan (Dun Laoghaire) 83 79, Harley Phipps (Co. Louth) 83 79, Sean O’Connell (Athenry) 82 80

163 Ryan Murray (Balmoral) 82 81

164 Ryan Lyons (Blarney) 78 86

165 Benjamin Doggett (Co. Louth) 82 83, Robert Walsh (Douglas) 77 88

166 Jack McGrath (Dun Laoghaire) 83 83

175 Adam Hanley (Carton House) 88 87

178 Josh Higgins (Donabate) 89 89

WD Matthew McClean (Malone) 81 WD; William Walshe (Delgany) 74 WD, Morgan O’Sullivan (Ballyneety) 77 WD, Ryan O’Doherty (Enniscrone) 78 WD,  Stephen Lindsay (Ardglass) 79 WD, Paraic McGrath (Galway Bay) 83 WD

DNF Johnny Napier Scrabo DNF

DQ Aodhagan Brady (Co. Sligo) 73 69 DQ