Madigan eyes double celebration

Irish golf pro Ryan Madigan believes he can give new-father Leo Hynes double cause to celebrate when they pair up for the Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship.

The Killiney assistant PGA Professional will partner Hynes in their third consecutive shot at the tournament, just over a fortnight after the latter’s wife gave birth to the latest addition to their young family.

Madigan, 25, has been covering the club shop while PGA Professional Hynes looks after his wife and their new-born baby.

And that means both men have seen their practice time significantly reduced in the lead up to the Irish regional qualifier at Headfort on July 23.

The duo qualified for the final last time around, only missing out on the cut in the showpiece by one shot, and they will hope to improve should they make it to this year’s £33,250 BMW-supported event at St Mellion on August 20-22.

Despite not getting as much time on the practice ground as they would have liked, Madigan is confident they can not only qualify for next month’s final, but also take their place among the leaders.

“Why not?” he said. “Obviously the first goal is to qualify, and the key to that is to make sure that we get plenty of birdie opportunities.

“Going off last year three or four-under should do it, and we’re more than capable of finishing with a score like that.

“We haven’t had a lot of time to practice, and I’ve been doing extended hours in the shop to help Leo out while his wife is having their baby.

“But I know him well, I’ve been here two-and-a-half years and I knew him before I joined the club so hopefully we should be able to go out there and do really well on the day.”

Madigan himself is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Hynes and become a respected coach.

The Waterford-born golfer worked at Hank Haney’s Junior Golf Academy in California before signing up to The PGA’s degree programme, and admits the experience has sculpted his career ambitions.

“I learnt an awful lot over in the States,” Madigan said.

“I was working as a coach at the academy and also playing quite a bit as well – it just gave me that confidence and the belief that I could have a career in golf.

“It definitely made me want to go into coaching full-time – I enjoy getting involved with everything at Killiney but teaching is where I see my future.

“I’m waiting on one more exam result and then I’ll be fully qualified – ideally longer-term I’d like to go back to working in an academy again, that’s what I see myself doing in the future.”

Other pairings competing in the Irish regional qualifier include: David Foley (Dromoland Castle) and Padraig McGrath (P&M Golf Superstore), Patrick Gittens (Corrstown) and Anthony Judd (Forrest Little), David Rock and Robin Machin (both County Meath), and Emmet Staunton (Castleknock) and Bernard Quigley (Carton House).