O'Hanlon setting his sights high in Ireland

Richard O’Hanlon admits playing in the PGA Cup is one of the few boxes left to tick for him.

And he hopes an impressive display in the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship Final will see him achieve that ambition.

O’Hanlon, St Kew Golf Club in Cornwall, narrowly missed out on qualification for the US Open in Florida recently.

And now he is looking to make up for that disappointment at Luttrellstown Castle Golf & Country Club near Dublin when he tees off in the £78,000 PGA Professional Final which takes place between June 13-16.

And O’Hanlon, originally from the Midlands, knows that a strong performance could see him get into the GB & Ireland squad which will take on the USA in the PGA Cup at Foxhills in Surrey this September.

“My CV says I've played the BMW PGA Championship twice, the Scottish Open, I won an Order of Merit in the Midlands, I’ve won the Lombard Trophy - the PGA Cup is the last tick in the box as a club pro, I don’t think there’s anything else you can achieve,” he said.

“I know I’m good enough for the PGA Cup, I spoke to the captain Albert MacKenzie and I told him that’s my ambition, he’s got a pick - a guy who’s playing well - but I want to qualify in Ireland.

“It’s the only thing I haven't achieved yet.”

But this will be his first appearance in the final for 16 years - and that too was held in Ireland.

“The problem is it clashes with the Par Three Championship and I finished second in that last year and won in in 2010,” said O’Hanlon.

“But this year, it didn’t clash and was able to get through in the qualifier at Burnham & Berrow.

“I think the last time I played in this final it was in Co Louth in 2001 in my late 20s.”

But O’Hanlon is still mystified at his performance in Florida.

“I was out in Florida playing in a US Open qualifier, and I was leading after nine holes,” he said.

“I ended up missing out by three shots but I finished bogey, double bogey, bogey. That was really frustrating as I play in Florida a lot, I don’t know what happened on the back nine, I think I should’ve spent more time acclimatising.

“The little things make a difference. I should’ve qualified for Walton Heath for the European Tour qualifier, you can pick where you can come back to.

“But none of us, apart from the Irish guys have played this course at Luttrellstown. I shall be going out there to get a practice round in, but if you’re playing well, you’re playing well.”

Other players from the West of England taking part at Luttrellstown Castle include former champion Paul Hendriksen (Ivybridge Golf Club); Jon Bevan (Sherborne Golf Club); Martyn Thompson (Parkstone Golf Club); Albert MacKenzie (Saunton Golf Club); Chris Gill (Newquay Golf Club); James Hannam (Bath Golf Club); and Barry Forster (North Wilts Golf Club).