O'Keeffe comes back from four down to face Foley in 120th South of Ireland final
Peter O'Keeffe (Douglas) in action in the quarter-finals at the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch Golf Club. Picture: Niall O'Shea
Douglas’ Peter O’Keeffe came back from four down after 10 holes to beat Galway’s Liam Nolan on the 19th and secure a showdown with Royal Dublin’s Hugh Foley in the 120th South of Ireland final at Lahinch.
Seeking his fourth amateur “Major”, the reigning Irish Close and two-time Irish Amateur Open winner (40) won the 11th, 12th and 13th with parts in a southwest wind that gusted to 30 mph to get back to one down.
He levelled the match by hitting a six-iron to around five feet at the par-three 16th but lost the 17th when he flared his second into the swale short right of the green, and Nolan two-putted for the win, leaving his 20-footer some three feet short before rolling in his par putt for the win.
On the 18th, O’Keeffe made a clutch birdie four to force extra holes as Nolan hit an average pitch from short right to around 20 feet.
Peter O’Keeffe hits a six iron close on 16 and birdies to get back to all square. He has been 4 down to Liam Nolan after 10. pic.twitter.com/KHXH2EUOIm
— Brian Keogh (@IrishGolfDesk) July 24, 2022
O’Keeffe was somewhat fortunate to miss the left-hand bunkers, but he took advantage and pitched to around three feet and holed the putt to take the match up the 19th.
O’Keeffe hit his drive into the left rough at the 19th with Nolan just 82 yards short of the green after a perfect drive down the middle.
O’Keeffe struck a killer blow with a lovely approach that finished just four feet above a pin cut on the back tier and Nolan, left with a half-shot, misjudged the crosswind and finished right of the green.
He pitched back to around eight feet, but his par putt was pushed right of the hole, and he immediately took off his cap to shake hands.
“I got four up and then when it stopped raining, I hit a couple of loose shots, and he won three in a row,” said Nolan, who was runner-up to Alan Fahy in the West of Ireland final at Easter. “We both played really good golf apart from the odd shot here or here. With that weather this morning, the golf was really good.
“He made a clutch birdie on the last, and I made a mistake down 19, and that was that. I hit the shot I wanted to hit on the 19th, but I didn’t realise the wind was going to take such a small shot so far to the right. But Peter is a great competitor, and on any day, he is tough to beat.”
Nolan chips to 8 ft. O’Keeffe 4ft above the hole. Nolan misses. It’s @OkeeffePeter v @HughFoley17 in the 120th South of Ireland final @LahinchGolfClub pic.twitter.com/tzGWV6pnJH
— Brian Keogh (@IrishGolfDesk) July 24, 2022
O’Keeffe now faces Royal Dublin star Foley in the final.
Following his win at Royal Portrush nine days ago, the Dubliner (25) is looking to become the first man since Darren Clarke in 1990 to win the North of Ireland and South of Ireland titles in the same year.
He beat Naas’ Robert Brazill 5&4 in his semi-final on a morning marked by high winds and driving rain for most of the action.
He will be seeking his fourth amateur Major, having won the AIG Irish Amateur Close at Rosapenna (2020), the West of Ireland (2021) and the North (2022).
O’Keeffe will be trying to become the fourth Douglas player to win the Pierse Motors-sponsored event.
Redmond Simcox won in 1926 and 1927 before WA Kelleher beat John Nestor 2&1 in 1964, and John McHenry defeated Liam MacNamara in 1986.
120th South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, sponsored by Pierse Motors Volkswagen, Lahinch
Semi-finals
Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas) bt Liam Nolan (Galway) 19th
Hugh Foley (Royal Dublin) bt Robert Brazill (Naas) 5&4.
Final - 2 pm
