Eager Keane plans Powerade to perfection

Ireland’s Iarlaith Keane is leaving no stone unturned as he bids to land the Powerade PGA Assistants’ Championship at Coventry Golf Club next week from June 11-13.

The 22-year-old PGA assistant from Balcarrick Golf Club in Donabate will jet over to the Midlands with a detailed itinerary ahead of the £32,500 tournament which is supported by FootJoy.

Keane, who hails from Portmarnock, is one of 13 Irish pros who earned their place in the prestigious tournament after coming through qualifying at Co Meath last month.

And Keane, who once beat Shane Lowry to win a Darren Clarke Golf Foundation tournament, has been meticulous in his preparations.

“I’ve got it all written down almost to the last minute from when I land in Birmingham at 7.30am on Monday,” he said.

“I’ll get to the club at 8.30, play the front nine and map out the course and exactly what and where I’ll be hitting from.

“The afternoon will be spent getting to grips with the greens and some chipping practice and so on.

“Because I’ve never played the course before I don’t just want to turn up and play it once. I want to give it my best shot by being as well prepared as I can.

“It would mean the world to win especially as the winner qualifies for the PGA Play-Offs at the end of the season and with it the chance to get a place in next year’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.”

Keane is two years into his PGA training programme learning a range of skills from equipment, sports science and coaching through to business and marketing.

But playing is his passion and after gaining his PGA qualification, the former Irish U15 and 16s and Munster Boys U18s champion is giving himself a two year window to try and crack it on tour.

“My ultimate target is to make it on tour, I want to be a player for the moment and my aim is to get through the PGA exams and give myself two years and give it a good go.

“Playing took a bit of a back seat last year with all the exams and course work but I’ve been better prepared this year and have been playing more and am having a good year.”

Also competing from Ireland is Massereene’s Noel Murray who put a bad back behind him to win the qualifier, Galway’s Patrick Small, Greenore’s Ian Brennan and Old Conna’s Neil O’Briain.

The Powerade winner will earn a cheque for £5,000 plus an additional £1,000 from the sponsor, a year’s worth of product and Glenmuir clothing with the champion also being invited to compete in the Australian equivalent in November and earning a spot in the end of season PGA Play-Offs in Turkey.