Doyle eyes dream South debut

Fresh from helping Ireland claim their first European Amateur Team Championship gold medal in 18 years, John Doyle is hoping to continue his remarkable summer as he prepares to make his Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship debut at Lahinch tomorrow.
The Fota Island golfer was just 11 months old when Ireland last claimed European Amateur Team Championship gold in 2008 and, along with helping end that wait in Estonia 10 days ago, the 18-year-old has already reached some incredible milestones in his fledgling career including an appearance at the Amgen Irish Open and Junior Ryder Cup.
A strong performance at Lahinch this week could further strengthen Doyle's hopes of earning a place in Dean Robertson's Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team for September's match against the USA, which will also be staged at the historic Clare links.
“It’s very hard not to think about it,” said Doyle.
“It’s a massive goal of mine but I am trying my best to just focus on what I can do this week. If I could do that, I could get on okay, but it’d be quite easy to get wrapped up in it.”
The 124th staging of the South of Ireland will see a 150-strong field of players from across Ireland, Europe and the USA competing in the 36-hole Stroke Play qualifier tomorrow and Thursday, before the top 64 advance to the Match Play stage, beginning Friday and culminating with the semi-finals and final on Sunday.
“The field is very good,” said Doyle.
“It’s close to a European Amateur or British Amateur, a lot of really good players, so it’s exciting to see if your game matches up.”
Having played his first rounds at Lahinch last week before returning on Monday with the rest of the GB&I Walker Cup training panel, Doyle’s strategy is simple but clear coming into his championship debut.
“Being in the fairway is quite important,” said Doyle.
“I hadn’t played it before last Tuesday so that’s why I got down to try and get familiar with it because there’s a lot of blind tee shots. It’s good to have a bit of clarity on lines off the tee.”
“On some links with flat greens, it's probably easier to bang it into the rough and you're still okay, but out here there's a lot of false fronts and it's impossible from the rough to control your ball. The course is pretty playable once you get it on short grass, but it becomes quite challenging once you’re in the rough and fighting for pars.”
With the five automatic qualifying places for the Walker Cup team set to be confirmed following this week’s championship, several Irish players will be hoping to strengthen their position ahead of Robertson’s captain’s picks, with Amateur champion Stuart Grehan (Co. Louth) already confirmed for the side.
Doyle would love to join Grehan on that six-man Walker Cup team, but for now his focus remains firmly on making the most of his South of Ireland debut and attempting to add his name to a roll of honour that includes Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell.
“It would be unreal. It was probably my goal for the year, team wise. I’m just trying not to think about it too much,” said Doyle.
“You have to try and do your best and see what happens, especially with it being top 64 match play, anything can happen.”
“If I don’t make it this year, I’ve another chance in two years’ time so it’s not getting too wrapped up in it. It’d be unreal though.”
The South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship gets underway at 7am on Wednesday morning with local Lahinch member Aaron McNulty, Jamal Sabir (Moate) and Sam Mukherjee (Gullane) beginning proceedings before Doyle tees off alongside Simon Gallivan (Killarney) and William Hennessee (Oklahoma) from 9.10am.