Patterson ready for the unknown quantity in Ireland

Michael Patterson admits he will be taking a step into the unknown when he plays his first ever Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship Final.

The Scottish professional, representing Kilmacolm Golf Club in Renfrewshire, will be heading to Ireland for the event and admits that a lot of the field will be unfamiliar with the venue at Luttrellstown Castle Golf & Country Club near Dublin.

Patterson says he has never played in Ireland before and is having to do his homework before he goes.

The £78,000 showpiece event which takes place between June 13-16 and Patterson qualified by coming second in the qualifying event held at Fife’s Ladybank Golf Club in April.

“You tell people that you’re going over to Dublin to play in the final and they ask you what course, but nobody seems to have heard of it, it’s very new - only a few years old,” said Patterson.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone who’s played it, no-one really seems aware.

“But I’ve been having a look at it online and it looks amazing.

“It’ll be a new one for people to experience and that’s very exciting.

“I’m really looking forward to going over there and it’s a great city.”

Patterson is hoping for a good performance with Kilmacolm producing a series of impressive players over the years.

“We’ve had five players who’ve represented Scotland in the last 15-20 years,” he said.

“There’s a great golfing pedigree here and it was a great place to do my PGA training.

“Now I’ve been trying to make a game for myself to try and add to the players who’ve done great things from Kilmacolm.

“I hope I can take that into the final and add to it.

“We have a great golfing history here with a lot tournaments that’ve been won, so it’d be great to put my name to it.

“This is certainly the biggest tournament I’ll play in this year.”

Patterson knows a high finish means a possible shot at a place in the GB & Ireland PGA Cup squad for the match against the USA later this year.

But he says his first focus is the final itself.

“I know there’s places up for grabs and that’d be very nice, but you just try and play as well as you can and see what happens after that, everyone’s aware of it,” he said.

Other players from Scotland taking part at Luttrellstown Castle include: Chris Currie (Caldwell Golf Club); Andrew Cooper (Newmachar Golf Club); Fraser Mann (Carnoustie Golf Links); Greig McSporran (Kinross Golf Courses); Jonathan Sharp (Carrick on Loch Lomond); and Alan Welsh (Cathkin Braes Golf Club).