Ireland's top young golfers will gather at Ardee on Tuesday (May 26) in a bid to reach the final of Britain and Ireland's flagship event for trainee professionals - the Powerade PGA Assistants' Championship, in association with FootJoy.
And one record that needs rectified - no player from the Emerald Isle has won the PGA Assistants' Championship since it began in 1930 - lies in the hands of some talented young men.
Among them is Graeme Dunlea from Adare Manor, a 24-year-old whose improbable career switch still leaves him sure he's done the right thing.
"I did a four-year degree course in financial mathematics at University College, Cork, but I've always been mad keen on golf - I won the Irish inter-universities title - and I really knew the game would become my career," he said. "But I finished the degree course anyway, and I've just completed my first year of PGA training at Adare Manor."
After finishing third in last year's assistants' Order of Merit, Dunlea's 2009 has got off to a winning start. Over the par-72 St Helen's Bay course in Co. Wexford, whose greens had suffered as a result of winter work, he was the only player over two days in an assistants' pro-am to break par, with rounds of 75 and 71.
Among the more established players heading for Ardee is Derek McNamara, in his second year of training at the prestigious Portmarnock club. By dint of finishing top assistant in last year's Irish PGA Open at The European Club, the 26-year-old has qualified to play in a good number of Irish Region events this season - which will test the charity of his boss at Portmarnock, head pro, Joey Purcell.
"This is a busy club and we try to give the lads as much time off to play during the summer, and they try to make up the time in the winter. Derek's very attentive to his PGA studies, has a good all-round game, but I'm sure his dilemma is whether to pursue his playing career or become a club professional. Only time will tell."
The 54-hole final will be played at The London Club, near Brands Hatch, from August 12-14, and the top 14 Irish players from a field of 42 at Ardee, will contest the final.
Richard Baldwin of Coca Cola Enterprises added: "We at CCE are pleased to sponsor the Powerade PGA Assistants' Championship for the sixth year running. We are looking forward to the event and wish everyone the best of luck at the regional rounds and look forward to the final at The London Club in August."
22 May, 2009