Caddie factor key for Campbell and O'Keeffe as they face Coughlan and Hearn in South of Ireland semis
Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) and his caddie Daniel McInerney wait on the tee during the quarter-finals of the Pierse Motors sponsored South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch Golf Club. Picture: Niall O'Shea
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing but having a good caddie could be worth its weight in gold on the final day of the South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship when wind and rain is set to test the title candidates to the limit at Lahinch.
Having a good wingman has certainly worked so far for Warrenpoint’s Colm Campbell and Douglas’ Peter O’Keeffe, who are on opposite sides of the draw as they seek a title they’d dearly love to win.
Campbell has the services of Lahinch’s Daniel McInerney, whose green reading skills have been invaluable so far as 60 kmph gusts and the occasional squally shower turned the ‘South’ into a test of endurance, skill and concentration.
“He’s been first class now,” said Campbell, who followed a dramatic 1-up win over Carton House’s Marc Boucher with a 20th-hole win over Rosapenna’s Ryan Griffin in the quarter-finals to set up a semi-final clash with Castleknock’s Paul Coughlan.
“He’s been a huge help, especially when the wind and the rain was bad. And his local knowledge helps, he can play as well, so it’s good to have someone like him on the bag.”
O’Keeffe (41) was under par in both his matches as he followed a 5&4 win over Berehaven’s Joe O’Neill with a 3&2 victory over Co Louth’s Gerard Dunne with Irish seniors international Karl Bornemann on his bag.
“It’s tough to get your lines right off the tee so you have to really commit,” said O’Keeffe, who faces a tough examination against Tramore Golf Club’s Jack Hearn, the Carrick-on-Suir man who has made big strides during his college days in the US. “But having Karl Bornemann on the bag is a massive help because he is a strategist by nature and I am more of a reactive player.
“So he is slowing me down and really discussing things and for me at 41, that’s actually new. But it’s enlightening and it’s working so we are just going to continue with that and go from there.”
Campbell (36) produced two clutch birdies to set up his first semi-final appearance since his defeat to Conor Purcell in 2016.
Battling winds gusting to 60 kmph, the two-time Irish Amateur Open winner and former East of Ireland champion finished birdie-par-birdie to beat Carton House’s Marc Boucher in the third round, hitting a 135-yard eight-iron to six inches at the 18th to clinch a one-up win.
He was two-up with three to play in his quarter-final with Griffin but while he was taken to extra holes, he hit a four-iron to the edge of the par-five second to set up what proved a winning birdie and a semi-final showdown with Coughlan, who didn’t have to go beyond the 14th as he beat Greenore’s Matthew Giles 6&4 and Enniscrone’s David Shiel 5&4.
“Ryan was very impressive and never missed a shot,” said Campbell, who had putts for the match at the 18th and 19th before Griffin failed to match his two-putt birdie at the 20th. “Great putter as well.
“I was two up with three to go and make a bad bogey on 16 and then a three putt (from off the green) on 17. Then I hit a great putt on 18 but to be fair, Ryan was very clutch coming in there (getting up and down from the back of the green.
“Then I had a super six iron into the first play-off hole, to about four feet and Ryan makes a great par save from just off the green (12 feet), then I miss and I’m thinking to myself have I blown it.
“Great second shot into the 20th there and thankfully it was enough to get the job done. I caught that four-iron lovely and got a soft bounce. Looking forward now to the match with Paul tomorrow.”
Coughlan, who works for McGuirk’s Golf in Blanchardstown, was too strong for Matthew Giles in the morning and he was clutch again against Shiel, making a 20 footer for birdie at the 12th and an eight footer at the 13th to go four-up before closing out the match at the next.
"This is one of my favourite golf courses, you just have to step up and hit some good shots,” said Coughlan (31), who was beaten in the semi-finals of the Irish Close in Galway in 2017 and finished tied second behind Hugh Foley in the West in 2021.
“Definitely suits someone that is flighting it down this week. I’d like to say it suits my game, mostly, I don’t spin it too much so I can get something running out there.
"It’s exciting, I think the weather is a bit more of the same, maybe more rain on top of it as well so we will see what happens. Still a good ways to go."
He added: “My win against David was a bit flattering as we were all square after eight but I won four on the bounce from 11 to 14 and holed a few putts at the right time.
“Outside the Irish Amateur, this is my favourite event. I just love Lahinch and the atmosphere and the game has been good.
“My putting has been good this week after switching putters with a friend. It’s working pretty well so far.”
Tramore’s Jack Hearn (26) birdied the 18th from 10 feet to beat Enniscorthy’s Graham Donohoe one up in the last 16 before defeating Strabane’s Conor Byrne 3&2 and now takes on last year’s beaten finalist O’Keeffe (41), who followed a 5&4 win over Berehaven’s Joe O’Neill with a 3&2 victory over Co Louth’s Gerard Dunne.
“There might be a few down (from the club) tomorrow but I try not to think about the trophy or anything because I have a semi-final match tomorrow, it’s not a final match,” Hearn said. “I have got to win that first and then see what happens after that.
“The conditions were really tough today. You just have to get it somewhere around the green and two putt it. There wasn’t many birdies out there today from anybody. Just good lag putting as well, you don’t want to leave yourself too long for par. All you can do is just hit the shot in front of you and take it from there.
“At the end of the day you have just got to keep going. The next shot is as important as the last one. Was trying to make sure I put a good swing on the next shot. Thankfully it was enough to get me over the line.”
He now takes on O’Keeffe, last year’s beaten finalist, who was under par for his two wins and looks to be putting well.
"I think I was two under this morning and maybe something similar in the afternoon,” O’Keeffe said. “The game is in great shape, I’m driving the ball really well, putting well too so everything across the board is great.
“I think it’s getting better every round and it’s a golf course I am obviously comfortable on and I am really enjoying it and loving the weather.”
South of Ireland Championship, Lahinch
Sponsored by Pierse Motors Volkswagen
30 July - Semi-Finals
0830 Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) v Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint)
0845 Jack Hearn (Tramore) v Peter O'Keeffe (Douglas)
29 July - Quarter-finals
Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) bt David Shiel (Enniscrone) 5&4
Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt Ryan Griffin (Rosapenna) 20th
Jack Hearn (Tramore) bt Conor Byrne (Strabane) 3&2
Peter O'Keeffe (Douglas) bt Gerard Dunne (Co Louth) 3&2
29 July - Third round
David Shiel (Enniscrone) bt Adam Smith (Mullingar) 3&2;
Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) bt Matthew Giles (Greenore) 6&4;
Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt Marc Boucher (Carton House) 1 up;
Ryan Griffin (Rosapenna) bt Cian O'Connor (Roscommon) 3&1;
Jack Hearn (Tramore) bt Graham Donohoe (Enniscorthy) 1 up;
Conor Byrne (Strabane) bt Robert Brazill (Naas) 19th;
Peter O'Keeffe (Douglas) bt Joe O'Neill (Berehaven) 5&4;
Gerard Dunne (Co Louth) bt Jordan Boles (Charleville) 7&6.
