Irish amateur Áine Donegan says her dream summer continues today when she tees it up in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open on her home course.
The Dromoland golfer who also plays out of Lahinch, is one of ten Irish golfers, and seven amateurs, set to challenge for the prize this week.
She tees off this morning just after nine o’clock with last year’s winner Klara Spilkova and the crowd’s favourite Leona Maguire. The three ball had a great start to proceedings yesterday when the groups that Maguire and Spilkova were playing with ended up claiming the top two prizes in the pro-am competition.
It was a day sprinkled with celebrity. Davy Fitzgerald and Joe Canning played, as well as Cork star Patrick Horgan and Galway footballer Damien Comer.
Lorraine Keane, Pamela Joyce and Valerie Wheeler crowned their first ever 18 hole tournament with some great play and some fine shooting but the star of the day proved to be Olive McNiff, an Associate Director with Davy who scored a hole in one on the signature 7th hole.
After the fun and relaxed atmosphere of the Pro-Am things turn more serious today but Donegan is determined to make the most of her opportunity on the biggest stage again.
“I’m really excited, it’s great that I have been able to play it this summer loads of times. I know the course inside out,” said Donegan.
“I know people say it a lot but it is a dream come true to actually be playing it at home in Dromoland, on a course that I have been playing for years, since I was about 14 I have been a member in Dromoland.”
“Just to have a few friendly faces around, my friends and family from up north are coming down. That’s something that we don’t get a lot, playing abroad all the time and just playing around Ireland. So it’s great to have that.”
“I am not too serious of a person. I will be able to step back and enjoy it. Obviously when things need to get serious I will be serious but I am pretty light-hearted like that, so I will definitely have time to enjoy it.”
“Beth Coulter is staying with me, we’re very good friends. I said it to her, if you need any help on the course I’ll give it to you. At the end of the day, I know golf is an individual sport but you are always going to help people out, especially your friends.”
It has been a whirlwind couple of months for the Clare native since she starred at Pebble Beach in the US Open and on the cameras of Sky’s coverage.
Donegan, who is a student at Louisiana State University says she has noticed more and more young Irish golfers emerging through the ranks with Leona Maguire inspiring the next generation.
“I have seen it more this summer, even in and around Lahinch, the amount of juniors out playing, particularly girls,” she said.
“And I think it’s because the sport is being put more on social media and on the TV so that people can see it. If you can’t see it you are not going to do it.”
“There are more and more people to look up to now. All of the Irish girls can look up to Leona, the young Irish girls coming on and just starting golf, Leona has done so much for it.”
“There will be a lot of young girls out watching this week, so it’s great to see that.”
Coverage begins today at 4-30 on RTÉ2 and at 5-30 on Sky Sports. Day tickets are available at www.kpmgwomen’sirishopen.ie for each of the four days and with warm sunshine expected through the weekend a repeat of last year’s bumper crowd of 20,000-plus is on the cards again.
