Keeling shines as Europe wins back Junior Ryder Cup
Winning 2023 European Junior Ryder Cup team. Picture: Getty Images
Roganstown teenager Sean Keeling said it would be “a dream come true” to play in the Ryder Cup itself after helping Europe end their 19-year wait for victory in the Junior Ryder Cup with a 20.5-9.5 thumping of the USA in Rome.
The Dubliner (16) made three eagles — two of them conceded — in a 4&2 win over Will Hartman as Europe ended a run of six successive US victories with their first win since Rory McIlroy played on the winning side in Ohio in 2004.
The two teams - comprising 12 of the best male and female under 18s from Europe and the United States - entered the second day tied at 6-6 in a new three-day format for the event.
But the home side won all six fourball matches on day two at Golf Nazionale to go into today’s 12 singles matches at the Ryder Cup venue needing just three and a half points to win back the trophy.
Spain’s Andrea Revuelta hammered Knaub 8&6 to get them over the line as they won seven and halved three of the singles to win by 11 points.
“By far!” Keeling said when asked if this win topped everything he has achieved in his short career.
“Nothing really compares to it. Team golf is just different with playing for everyone else. You're representing not just your country but your continent. So yeah, nothing really comes close to this so far.”
As for making the Ryder Cup team in the future, he said; “It’d be a dream come true. I mean, it's something I've wanted. It's basically the highlight of your golfing career is playing the Ryder Cup. So special.”
Set to turn 17 next week, Keeling may jump straight into the professional ranks when he finishes school at Belvedere College rather than following in the footsteps of his older brother Patrick and take a US college scholarship.
“I've still got time,” he said. “There's probably either go to the States or turn pro. Let's see how it goes.. I'll finish school.”
He admitted he got confirmation in Rome that he has the game to play under severe pressure.
“I learned that I can perform on a big stage,” said Keeling, who won regional qualifying for The Open at Baltray last year and is gunning for Walker Cup honours. “I think it will give me a lot of confidence knowing I can play in front of all these people in front of the stands and perform well.”
He was two down after starting with three bogeys but even after a birdie at the fourth and a conceded eagle two after he ripped a three wood to 20 feet at the fifth, he lost the seventh and was one down before he turned the tide by winning four holes in a row.
After ripping a 270-yard three wood to seven feet at the par-five ninth to square the match, he won the 10th and 11th, then hit a six-iron stone dead at the par-five 12th for another conceded eagle to go three up before closing out the match at the 16th.
“I made two bogeys on seven and eight after getting a little momentum back but that shot on nine really flipped it and after that I just went off and played really good,” said Keeling, who was roared on by dozens Irish fans, many of them from Roganstown, where he works with the Made in Holywood Academy run by Geoff Loughrey and McIlroy’s coach Michael Bannon,
“There was amazing support,” said Keeling. “Half the people that I saw were Irish. So amazing.”
He’s looking forward now to seeing how Europe does in the Ryder Cup.
“We're staying to watch all three days,” he said. “So that's going to be unbelievable. I mean, the first day tomorrow will be just, I don't know. I just can't wait.”
