What does it take to rise through the ranks of golf? Today on the Irish Am podcast, we get up close and personal with Max Kennedy, who shares his journey in amateur golf. Join us as we delve into the nitty-gritty with Max, discussing the intensive training, mental resilience, and relentless dedication it takes to make the cut.
From the greens of Royal Dublin to the gym at Louisville, Max paints a vivid picture of his evolution as a golfer. He talks about how a competitive environment and a supportive team of coaches, instructors, and mental health professionals have been instrumental in shaping him. We discuss his achievements, including his first stateside and his first men's win back home. Get a deep insight into the world of golf psychology and how Max keeps his mental game in check.
We round up this riveting conversation by discussing the upcoming liv Promotions event in Abu Dhabi. With a field of 70 players, including Max and fellow Irish amateur Ryan Griffin, this event is set to be a thrilling three-day contest. The prize? Three spots on the coveted Live Tour. Max shines a light on his goals and aspirations, giving us a peek into his preparation for the big event. Tune in for an episode chock-full of insights, reflections, and a generous helping of golfing wisdom.
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What does it take to rise through the ranks of golf? Today on the Irish Am podcast, we get up close and personal with Max Kennedy, who shares his journey in amateur golf. Join us as we delve into the nitty-gritty with Max, discussing the intensive training, mental resilience, and relentless dedication it takes to make the cut.
From the greens of Royal Dublin to the gym at Louisville, Max paints a vivid picture of his evolution as a golfer. He talks about how a competitive environment and a supportive team of coaches, instructors, and mental health professionals have been instrumental in shaping him. We discuss his achievements, including his first stateside and his first men's win back home. Get a deep insight into the world of golf psychology and how Max keeps his mental game in check.
We round up this riveting conversation by discussing the upcoming liv Promotions event in Abu Dhabi. With a field of 70 players, including Max and fellow Irish amateur Ryan Griffin, this event is set to be a thrilling three-day contest. The prize? Three spots on the coveted Live Tour. Max shines a light on his goals and aspirations, giving us a peek into his preparation for the big event. Tune in for an episode chock-full of insights, reflections, and a generous helping of golfing wisdom.
Follow amateur info
https://instagram.com/irish_amateur_golf_info?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Okay, welcome back to the Irish Amp podcast. Before we kick off my interview with Max Kennedy this week, let's just have a little chat about what's gone on today. So LiveGolf have announced their field for the Live Promotions event. This is their event for qualifying, with three spots up for grabs on the Live Tour. So for the small fee of $25, what's at stake over at Live Promotions and why is Irish amateur info talking about it? So here we go.
Speaker 1:So, basically, in Abu Dhabi next week, you're going to have four rounds played over three days. There's 70 odd players at the moment in the field and that's. The field is now final. Two of these 70 players are current Irish amateur golfers. So today's guests, max Kennedy and Ryan Griffin, are in the field. Both players have gained entry into the field due to playing in Palmer Cup, which is one of the exemptions for amateur players to get into it, and both have taken that option up. And why not? 70 players is all you have to compete with. Well, they say oh, you have to compete with there is PGA Tour players and winners. This is a very strong field, but it's one of the smallest qualifying fields you will see, with some very lucrative prizes at the end of it.
Speaker 1:So, as I said, it's going to be played over three days and it's going to be four rounds. So how does it work? Day one will consist of 18 holes of stroke play where 60 players roughly team it up with the remaining players exempt into round two. The top 20 players at the end of 18 holes in day one will advance to the second round. Before the second round kicks off, all scores are reset and those who were exempt from day one will join the field, so you'll have some in the region of 30, 35 players. They will play a further 18 holes with the top 20. Once again to advance to rounds three and four, which will be played on day three, I believe, the scores again are reset. So everybody kicks off on day three for 36 holes and with 20 players. So if you, if you're lucky enough to get this fair, just 20 players will be fighting it out over 36 holes for treat, for three cards on the live tour in 24. These are full playing rates to all events.
Speaker 1:So again, for a couple of days work. There's a massive lucrative prize at the end of this, at the end of this rainbow, as you will see from Irish players over the last number of years trying to qualify for pro tours. Getting there isn't very easy so it's no surprise to see some of those available taking up this option. We had four more Irish amateurs are recently turned pros that had the option, so the walk of couple players could have also went. Mark power looks set on trying to gain access to the European tour where Alex McGuire currently has playing rights on the Alps tour in 2024. He's yet to confirm whether he's going to stay amateur at home pro. I believe he's going to turn pro at some point and Liam Nolan and Matt McLean are both definitely staying amateur in 2024 and have decided not to take up the offer for Abu Dhabi and the live promotions next week. So if you get to the final later at the three cards, which is also the opportunity for places four to 10 to get full playing rights on the international series, the Asian tour and again with the influx of money from PIF into the Asian tour, this has become a very viable option for aspiring young pros to try and go and make a living and make their way through the ranks of pro golf.
Speaker 1:So again, with Max and Ryan teaming it up at the live event, to be honest with you. It seems like the right card. It's going to be three days, the opportunities are big and I'm just looking at the listing for it here. So, players competing, completing round two but not advancing to the third round of this event, I guarantee to get $10,000 in sports for the amateurs kind of more. So amateurs will receive $1,000 regardless of finishing position, with any prize money for finishing top 20 donated to live charity of choice. So, look, max and Ryan are pretty much going to go over here. The prize money covers a lot of their stay, or some of their stay anyway at least. So it's not a big expenditure for the two lads. It's a $25 entry fee with massive potential at the end of it, like for a qualifying school. Live have kind of done what they've done and throw loads of money at this. Whichever pro wins, it gets $200,000 just for winning the qualifying event. So again, the money at the end of this rainbow is potentially massive for the board of the lads if they can advance and look, if they advance as well, as these are conversations and kind of really good problems to have at the end of the week and so let's see how they get on.
Speaker 1:So the event is kicking off on the 8th of December, just kind of just over a week away Now. I will keep you updated on all of that as it plays out. So if you want to make sure you're kind of up to date with the live info on that, follow me on my socials. So amateur info on Twitter and Irish amateur golf info on Instagram for all the latest and first place to find all your amateur golf news in relation to Irish players.
Speaker 1:So, without further ado, we get straight into the pod, where I caught up with Max Kennedy as he was hitting a few balls on the range in Louisville. We talked about his career as a juvenile, his time in Louisville, and we touched on this live a little bit as well in the pod. So hope you're enjoying the pod so far. If you are, make sure and hit the five star on whatever platform you get it. Please follow the pod as well. It really helps with the promotion of the pod being pushed to others and, as always, thank you for your all your support. Now over to Max Kennedy. Welcome, max.
Speaker 2:Great Gary, how are you doing?
Speaker 3:I'm doing well. Max has just given me a tour of the Louisville range there before we came live. Nice, sweet setup over there, max.
Speaker 2:Very, very good setup the best I've ever been to and we get a lot out of it, so we're very privileged to have it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I was kind of saying that you have to have a kind of more seriously before we start. But with all that at hand, you can see, with all of the progression in your golfers come from in the last couple years, yeah, well, it's a mix of a lot of things.
Speaker 2:Obviously, the support staff we have here in Louisville is fantastic, from our coaches to the gym instructors and the mental health and psychology instructors, and everything that's associated with the college and the golf team has helped me and all the team improve over the years. So it's a mix of everything which is great.
Speaker 3:I suppose you didn't wake up and just end up in Louisville. There's a story on how you got here, so when the Max Kennedy take up the game.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I took up the game when I was around two or three years of age. Okay, my dad is a big golfer and he's probably the one, along with my granddad, to get me into it. Yeah, and they're all big golfers, same my mom's side too. My mom's dad was a big golfer also. So mix of all that just got me into it and I started playing there in Royal Dublin and that's where I've played ever since, up until today, but mainly up until I came to college in America and that's been my kind of proving ground and where I've gotten better. Over the years and with the help of all the members and the pro and everyone in Royal Dublin associated with Royal Dublin, I've been able to get to this level. So I'm very thankful for them and everyone that's built me from an early age.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know I like Royal Dublin. A great proving ground. There's been many great amateurs come out over the years.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a lot of really, really good players and it just shows that we have a pretty good senior cup team. Every year we compete every year the likes of, obviously, hugh Niall, and then there's just so many more after that Not Karni, sorry, hugh Foley that have came out of Royal Dublin. So we're kind of blessed with that that we have those type of players to compete against and we drive each other on down there, so it's great.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like when you're home you wouldn't be struggling for the game against a kind of decent player.
Speaker 2:No, no, you might lose a bit of money, but it's good competition, you know.
Speaker 3:So, max, what was your kind of early days in golf, like your kind of junior career? So how did you find, we'll say, competing early?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I kind of started competing in Irish championships when I was about 14 or 15 and I wasn't very good because I always hit it very short. I was always the shortest. I never played against anyone that hit longer than me. I was always the shortest but I always had a good short game. So I kind of just stuck with it and as I started to get longer I became better and better because my short game stood still. So that's kind of what I had to develop and I did it right and I still don't hit it that long, but I hit it far enough now that I can compete at a decent level.
Speaker 3:Jesus, you hit it plenty far. I'm starting to be a hinger now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've definitely gotten a bit of distance over the last couple of years. So, like junior, golf.
Speaker 3:How old were you when you got to scratch?
Speaker 2:16 when I got to scratch. I'd imagine 16 when I got to scratch. I'd say yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so that's a bit better than not being good as a young player, like you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I'm talking in terms of when I was 12, 13, 14, 15 I wasn't, you know, I was very average and then, you know, 16, I started to move on and push up.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so it's kind of 16, 17. You got a couple of wins, didn't you? You had the Fallen Loceres, you had one here as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Lens Drone were 16s and a couple others, yeah, yeah so like competing at that age.
Speaker 3:Like what did you take away from junior golf? We'd say, like as a young lad. So like you're saying, you were hitting a bit shorter, like so how did you find the challenge of golf at a young age Like, was there always something that interested you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, like I mean, I always just stuck at it. I didn't try and force anything or I didn't try and do anything spectacular. I just try to stick at it and stick to the simple things. You know, if you keep doing the simple things correctly, it'll eventually pay off, and it kind of has. And that's what I try to continue to do now, and it's very hard not to. But the main thing is just sticking to what you know is correct and how you know to get better. And then just you know, keep repeating that over and over and eventually you'll get better. So that's kind of what I've kind of stuck to, that the mindset that I've stuck to.
Speaker 3:Yeah, 100%. And like what point do you start thinking about golf as a future job or kind of especially sport?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, I've taught about playing pro golf since I was a very, very young boy, so can't put it, can't put a date on it, but I'd say, you know, 10, 12 years of age. I was probably thinking about it.
Speaker 3:And so like 16 or starting to win championships, is this kind of when you start taking it a bit more serious, like looking at colleges and stuff?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would have looked, started to look at colleges when I was 16 or 17. Okay, in that fourth, fifth year kind of age. Yeah yeah, and then it kind of flowed, flowed in, and then Louisville reached out to me and we kept on in contact and I eventually have found myself here.
Speaker 3:And like how does that kick off? I know I've talked to a couple of people in the past and like it's very much like you have to be very active in that environment. Like don't you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you've got to play. Well, I mean, that's the main thing. Yeah, you know you're not going to go to a good college unless you play well. Yeah, so that takes care of everything. So I was lucky to Play well in a tournament that the Louisville assistant coach travelled over to me. It was the British boys in.
Speaker 2:I want to say it was 2019, 2018 and I got to the quarter-finals and he watched me for that week and it was I played pretty good golf, so he was impressed. And that's kind of when I seen the interest from him move up, you know, I kind of knew that they wanted me and I really wanted to go here.
Speaker 3:So and did you know that coming over to watch you are getting others as well? But, like, had you been talking to him at that point so you know he was there to kind of keep an eye on you, like.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we would have had a couple of conversations about it and he would have said he was very interested to come and watch me, and then we gave him the tournament that you know best suited both of our schedules.
Speaker 3:Yeah and yeah, he just came over and watched so so, like dealing with the pressure of someone there, like the biggest boys tournament as well, like that's obviously going to press them, like yeah, that's, that's another side to look at it. Yeah, so British boys. So like I think that's the same, is that the same year that you got your first boys cap? Is it Already over four?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it was the year before I played in Doernock.
Speaker 3:Okay, yeah, so like what's that like as a boy, like getting a chance to represent Ireland?
Speaker 2:As a boy, representing Ireland was the best thing ever. It's what every little boy from Ireland wanted to do, you know, was play at home internationals for the Irish team. Yeah, and to be able to do it was was fantastic. It was a great experience.
Speaker 3:Like to take. I suppose, like it's a bit different, like when we get to your men's stuff in a minute, but like it's definitely going to be a very different environment. Taking a group of teenage lads away to play home international versus the men, like well, you're probably still a bit of a mess was in there. Like yeah, definitely a different environment. Yeah, yeah, like I suppose like it's the stepping stones in the progression of your golf is kind of what I'm getting at with the points in it. Like I suppose like you have to learn to play golf at a decent level to then championships and to, like boys, international. It's kind of the level you would have been looking at. So like you went up in Louisville then in what? 2020, max's yeah, 2020, middle of covid, middle of covid, nice time to start college.
Speaker 3:And how did you find the experience, I suppose, like that first year in particular.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I actually found the first year was quite hard adapting to a new culture.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Adapting to new environments and, you know, trying to compete at a very high level at the same time is definitely a challenge, but all it does is gives you great experience, you know, if you can learn from those challenges and get better from them. All it does is make you better as a, as a golfer and a person. So, yeah, I think it helped a lot, you know, even though it seemed like a struggle back then.
Speaker 3:And like I suppose in the last couple years you've been there, like what do you think has been the main benefit of going to college in America for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's just there's not a lot of distractions compared to back home. Pretty much everything you do every day is golf. That's all you do, trying to get better at golf, a little bit of schoolwork on the side and then it's just golf. You're just always playing golf. You're always competing against guys that are as good as you. It's just very, very competitive.
Speaker 3:So the number one thing I would say Okay and like your progression the last couple years Max has been very kind of steady and like improving pretty much year on year. So like, is there any kind of pin point stuff here, like you mentioned sports psychology and stuff that's not something would have been readily available to you back here, I suppose. So like, how have you found that kind of seeping into your game and helping you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I started working with a girl up north called Leanne and she's being great. She's helped me a ton in the last. I want to say I started working with Leanne this time last year, okay, and since then we've done a lot and it's paid off. Definitely, some of the things we work on are very, very relatable on the golf course and when I do it right I seem to play pretty good. So, you know, try and continue to do that. And then you know, there's always, I think with psychology, there's always things you can improve on. You know, it's kind of like a never-ending road. You can always find different ways to get better.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know and like I suppose it's, it's the 1%, like getting it. It's just kind of looking for small margins all the time, like that's kind of the hardest part at your level.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's where it is. Yeah, the little wins, yeah.
Speaker 3:Like technique wise then. So you're still working with Shane. I take it. Yeah, shane O'Grady at Blackbush, and how would you find that relationship being overseas? I suppose modern technology makes it easy enough to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's like. I mean it's, it's pretty easy. We've built a pretty good base at this stage. So we know my, you know my technique down to a tee and you know if I do get off in a certain area, I usually know why that is and I'm able to fix that pretty quickly. So it's, it's been fine. And then I, you know, when I'm back home over summer and over Christmas, we see each other. So it hasn't been that big of a. It hasn't been that big of a challenge not seeing them.
Speaker 3:Let's kind of talk this year a little bit, because like there's been a lot going on this year for your Max, I think and like you're definitely starting to see the fruits of a lot of the work that's gone on in the past couple years yeah, you kicked the air off over in Ecuador. What?
Speaker 2:Yeah, with Liam.
Speaker 3:With Liam and stuff. So like you like, you pick up a second play as finish over there and you kind of go on a crazy good run over in America straight after it, like. So like a reflection of the first couple of months of the year for you like, how would you sub raise it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was. I was just very confident in my ability to play good golf on a consistent basis. I just didn't do a lot wrong mentally. I was always. You know, I knew what I had to do in certain situations and I just did it. It was a very good couple months for me to start off the year and I thought I was unstoppable. To be honest with you, it felt really nice you look at it.
Speaker 2:Obviously, that's not how, that's not who life goes and you have the peaks and valleys and that's just. You know the way it is. But no, the first couple months of the year were fantastic.
Speaker 3:I played some very good golf in that time, the Angie you're forced to win over in America. What was that one like for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, the Aggie. It was great because I was kind of knocking on the door for a lot of tournaments and then just to get it over the line was definitely good. I got a couple nice breaks in the final round and it was just like it was meant to be. That was the one that I was always going to win.
Speaker 3:As you said, you were knocking on the door and for the Irish players in particular, you have a fall season and then you have a spring season, so you didn't finish outside the season and I believe in the spring season, or maybe you did once, but it was just in the wild. So I was knocking on the door that often and then finally kicking it open. That must have been massive relief for you.
Speaker 2:It was. It was a big relief Now coming over here, that's the one thing you want to do is you want to win at each level. Even you want to win at boys level. You want to win at top amateur level and then you want to move it on to the pro league. So to win at a top amateur level was very nice and the feels over there.
Speaker 3:I was very strongly so. I was talking to someone recently and they were learning to go low as it was. Is that something that you would pick up for me in America as well?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you have to go low over here. Everyone's so good nowadays. If you have 70 lads in the field, at least 10 of them are going to go pretty low for the week. You have to learn how to be very consistent and sharp all the time, or else you just get taken over. There's too many good players nowadays.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no 100%. So like you get your win, you kind of have a very strong season. You end up in a good position in the PGA Tour U and we'll chat about that a little bit in a second. But you come back to Ireland, you arrive off a plane and you're pretty much up the north not long after you're home, your first men's win. So like a year of force for you. So like you get your first men's win back here. So what was that one? Like?
Speaker 2:I've seen a lot of that one. Yeah, it was great to get that one over the line. It was very unexpected actually Going into the final round. Obviously Jamie Butler was a long way ahead and I kind of just went out and played golf and just seen what would happen and I got it over the line somehow. So it was a bit unexpected obviously going into the final round that I got the win, but it was great to get the win. Obviously, winning is what we live for in this game and to get that one over the line was great, like something.
Speaker 3:I suppose I go back to that day a little bit with you. Like something that day and I've seen it with you at a couple of tournaments is like, and I always kind of like it. You always wanted to know where you were. Like I met you a couple of times on the course and you were very interested in how you were getting on Like is that just who you were, or is that something that you're talking college? Like to know what you need to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I always love to know what I want to do and as you just explained like.
Speaker 2:Knowing what I have to do gives me the focus on what shots I have to hit, If I have to go to the pinner, if I have to just go left of the pinner, if I have to make a putt or two putt or whatever. I love to know what to do. Obviously, you're just trying to shoot the best score you can, but for me it helps me knowing that someone's a shot or two ahead. That just drives me on to make a couple more birdies and a couple more putts.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because, to be fair, you could see it like even like a couple of times I was chanting stuff and, like you obviously know what you needed to do, which you did get aggressive in the spots where you kind of probably really needed to. And then, as soon as you kind of got there, it was a case of, okay, let's kind of keep the pressure there a little bit, but you decided to give me a bit of overtime under there then. So a short playoff you had.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was stressful.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's kind of what I was getting at is the playoff part. It's not the easiest golf course in terms of like, it's just a tricky. Every hole is like potential for disaster as much as it has a birdie. So like once you go back out, like how do you start staying focused? Oh, I was at six holes, I think was the total playoff Like. So like how do you stay engaged at that point?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean Tlandy Boy is a very, very hilly golf course for anyone that's played it, so it's going to take the energy out of you. But I feel like when you're in that moment, adrenaline just kind of takes you through it. I just feel like you're just running on fumes nearly. I don't think you're thinking about that at all and that's kind of you know it helps you. So you know, just it just happens when you're in a situation like that, where you really really want to win, adrenaline is always going to.
Speaker 3:You know, bring you, bring you through, so you come through as like a six hole playoff and like you're only literally back a couple weeks and that's about the same point, you break into the top 100, the world leaving the Magra and stuff like. So, like golf, this year, max has very much been a kind of a rise up through the ranks in a lot of ways and yeah, and this then leads to like your first men's cap so like European teams, how did you find that experience?
Speaker 2:It was an unbelievable experience. Going over to Belgium with the guys and playing, you know, my first Proper senior Cup for Ireland was a great experience. I loved every minute of it.
Speaker 3:Again, european teams is only six. It's a really hard one to make. For that to be your first is kind of like it's a massive credit to how much you've come on in the last 12 months.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I had a good stretch there at the start of the year, as we just discussed. I feel that helped me obviously to make that team, which was nice, and that's just the benefits of playing well over a period of time as you get to make these teams and all that sort of stuff.
Speaker 3:I suppose that's it. I've said it a couple of times it's the continuation of good golf. Over time and obviously getting better, you get a bronze medal. So to pick up a medal on your first time away with Ireland again, that must have been something that is a proud moment for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we had a very, very good team that week and we were all going into win, obviously come first and we could have very easily. We played Denmark in the second match and they were very, very good against us. We didn't have our best stuff, I didn't have my best stuff. So, yeah, we just came away with a medal, but we were sort of disappointed at the same time. But that just shows you how good we were and what Ireland golf can do in the future.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know, it definitely looks like there's a very good group of you there, and, again, even the Hike Performance team just here and a couple of people that haven't been named on that team could potentially, I suppose, look at getting in there. It does look to be in a very strong place at the moment, doesn't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean Ireland golf has been in a strong place for quite a while and I think it'll continue to do that down the road.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there's enough golf here to kind of make people competitive. And again, there's definitely enough of you overseas now as well to kind of add to that. Yeah, 100%, and number of you came home from college last year and kind of re-added championships. It just kind of proves that what you're doing in America is really working with.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then what I would say is there's room for one of us to go out there and tour and do good things too, you know. Move it on to the next level, next level again.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think that's something that we've been missing. I suppose is probably the wrong term, but it kind of feels that way. People taking the next step in recent years hasn't kind of come to fruition as much as everybody would want, but yeah, it's definitely something that we would all like to see as more of a yantour at some point. Yeah, 100%.
Speaker 2:And I'd say in the very near future there will be.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there's a couple of really strong talent going out to turn pro this year and probably some more to like that will go early next year. So what's the current state of play at the moment for you, Max?
Speaker 2:Well, I've just finished. I'm still here in Louisville just practicing up until next week, and then I go off and play in Abu. Dhabi.
Speaker 3:Okay, so Abu Dhabi. That's the live qualifier. I take it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the live promotion event. So I got into that with my Palmer Cup team start.
Speaker 3:Okay, and what's the plan going out there, or the goal going out there, I suppose?
Speaker 2:Yeah, like I'm just trying to go out there. Obviously there's going to be a very, very good field and I'm going out there for the competition of it. There's a lot on the line, obviously, but I'm in a position now where I can kind of just freewheel it and see what happens. I think my game is good enough to be at that level and I think I can compete. So you know, obviously the goal is to win. It's always to win and just see what happens. It's a great tournament to show where you're at against these big time pros and that's it.
Speaker 3:Like I said, we were discussing a little bit, but opportunities like the very hard, you can't pass up opportunities when they come in your lap, like you know. Again, look, it is a reward of good guys from milk. Actually jump back to Palmer Cup because I missed all that one. My apologies. But so the live stuff you're getting to live on the back of playing Palmer Cup. You've got Palmer Cup because of all of the good guys that we just mentioned the second, the gore. So like, let's talk for one second before we go back to live. Like, yeah, that experience now, teaming it up with, like, the best of the rest of the world against the medical, ultimately. So like, what was that week like for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that week was pretty special. It was out in just outside of Pennsylvania, in La Trobe, where Arnold Palmer himself is from. So that alone was was an unbelievable experience.
Speaker 2:We were able to go and look at his warehouse where he had like 50,000 clubs, all his memorabilia. We were able to go to his childhood home on the golf club where he started playing. So that in itself we did all that before the event actually started. And then the event itself. I mean it's 12 of the best American collegiate players against the rest of the world. So I mean, give or take, the top amateurs in the world are playing against each other. So the standard is very high and we just had a great week. It was really, really cool. Sorry, I forgot to mention 12 men 12 women from both USA and the international side.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and like we had a couple from Ireland on there, so yourself, ryan Griffin and Lauren were there, so like again, like as what's happened, a small nation with like big representation in that kind of feel like.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean again just shows you where Ireland golf is in terms of in terms of the world, and I feel like we can compete at that, at that sort of level, and they give any given time. So, no, it was a great event and we really enjoyed it.
Speaker 3:And one of your weapons when famous that week. Your five would kind of got a bit of coverage, because it's how long is that one in the bag, Max?
Speaker 2:The seven woods in the bag, 12 years now. I started using it when I was about 10 or 11. So it's still there hanging on.
Speaker 3:I don't think it'll be going anywhere anytime shortly either.
Speaker 2:Oh no, I hope it'll be staying in the bag.
Speaker 3:So back to Abu Dhabi, Max, so that's next week. So like can you? Are you still taking it up there as an amateur?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I will be. I'll be staying amateur for that event.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so, like it's a case of is it the one? It's there, you're in the first round, we say, and then if you make the cut after that, there's a couple of more people added in the second or something.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's kind of like an eliminator sort of event. It's. It's very unusual, but it's. Yeah, it's interesting, we'll see how it goes. It's, you know, a certain amount of people get qualified for the first round and then out of those people, 20 gets through and then those 20 are put into the second round where there's more qualifications then, 20 get through to like a shootout on the last day. Okay, it's 36 goals for three live tour cards on seven international series cards, which is the Asian tour.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So like if you can get through the first two qualifiers, you're kind of looking at potential live or Asian tour, so like live is controversial a little bit, with all of the big notes in it. Like, and I think something like that we just said a minute ago pro golf is a top school and opportunities aren't going to fall for you at every option, like so I'm guessing that's a lot of where this is coming from, that like you just feel the opportunities too good to pass up on.
Speaker 2:Like yeah, 100%. I mean, you know, say I do go and I do very well, and that's a very, very good option to have. You got to give yourself options in this game and, as you said, they come few and far between, so you've got to give yourself every opportunity to play against the best, compete against the best and then see if you're at that level.
Speaker 3:And it's just another opportunity next week to do that 100% and I think it's definitely something that can't, just can't go like you have to take a chance at it. I suppose is kind of how I would look at it as well. And like you've got to be interested to see where you are, like in terms of like the elite pros, and there'll be a couple of hours there as well. I suppose, like and like I'm guessing your time, like you're thinking of turning pro at the back end of next year, anywhere they got the back end of 24 is like that would be kind of cool. So like it'll give you a realistic targeted to look at either way, like wonder, yeah 100%.
Speaker 2:I mean, as you said, playing against the best is is what we want to do in the sport, and you can't be the best until you beat the best. So playing against the top pros will be will definitely be at the top of my list on what I want to do over the next couple of years. So, starting off next week, it'll be, it'll be very good.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know best to look with it. And is this your last year in college, Max?
Speaker 2:Yeah, this is my fourth and final year. It's been. It's been great so far, so I've loved every minute of it.
Speaker 3:So you're at winter break now over in Louisville, so like going back into spring, so like if you were to. What's the goal to finish out collegiate career for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, ideally it'd be to outdo what I did earlier on this year. That would be. That'd be pretty cool if I was to get all top 10s and finish it off with a good stretch of golf. That would be ideal. That would be. My goal before turning pro is to have a consistent patch of golf where I'm playing pretty good, which gives you momentum into the pro ranks.
Speaker 3:That's what I'm looking for Because, like you, also have the option like, well, the option like, the potential of like, if you can get like really strong finish to the year, like you love PGA tour you to kind of look at a little bit as well, Like.
Speaker 2:I play well enough and if that opportunity arises then yeah, that'll be there. That'll come from good golf.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like what's that? I think that's if you finish within the top 20s. Is it Like there's I got?
Speaker 2:to see yeah, yeah, top 20, you get your guaranteed some sort of card.
Speaker 3:Okay, and I'm wearing it and currently I know you were kind of in around the Torpey market last time I looked at it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm about 35, I think I'm falling down a little bit, but it's it's quite easy. Like one or two events changes the whole outcome of it. So you know a winner, two in there and you'll move back up into the top 20 pretty, pretty quickly.
Speaker 3:Well, that's it. Like, I suppose, like, like, as you said, like the reward of the good golf is kind of still there where you're, you're going to be in contention going into that spring season to give yourself a chance of getting back into the top 20, like so.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:I think, it also helps that we play a very, very good schedule here so that we're able to play events that give us, you know, big ranking points that can move us up the well move me up to PGA tour you, yeah, and there's been a lot of good golf within your team in the past time 12, 18 months, two years like particularly keeping keeping an eye on you, so like being around, that is going to push you to ultimately try and perform your best as well, like, isn't it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, 100%. I mean, in my first year we had a couple of really good players Matias Schmidt and John Murphy are just a were the top ones. To play against them At that stage was. You know, I couldn't have asked for it better than that, because obviously Matias on the PGA tour right now and John's on the European tour. So you know that was. It was fantastic to get the opportunity to play against them guys on a regular basis.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like in fairness, louisville has always kind of had some bit of an Irish connection, or has had for a while now, and even with you leaving next year like Patrick is over there now as well. So, like, hopefully keep some bit of an Irish connection there with like for yourself. So like we'd say, is it just are you back after excuse me, after Abu? Dhabi? Are you back home again for a couple of weeks, or what's the plan?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I'll be back home after Abu Dhabi for a couple of weeks and then I'm going to play the Jones Cup, which starts in early January, and then we'll be back into the collegiate system after that.
Speaker 3:Best of luck next week, max, and obviously enjoy the Christmas season when it comes around. I'll keep an eye on you next week anyway. But yeah, thanks for your time, max, and best of luck my man. Thanks, good.
Speaker 2:Thank you, gary, and for all you do for Irish amateur golf.
Speaker 3:Well, bottom line, man Appreciate it yeah, see you soon.