From the emerald greens of Ireland to the manicured fairways of college golf in the United States, Mark Power’s journey embodies the dreams and dedication of any young golfer aiming for the stars. In this candid conversation, we uncover the highs and lows of Mark's ascent from a wee wonders champion to an Irish squad standout, with personal tales that echo the heartbeat of competitive spirit. His transition to collegiate golf opens a vista into the culture of American sports, where lessons on resilience and the camaraderie of team play shape not just a golfer's swing, but their very character.
The electricity of the Walker Cup and the cherished bond formed within the Great Britain and Ireland team offer a compelling glimpse into Mark's world, where nerve-wracking flag-raisings and adrenaline-fueled putts are all part of the game. Revel in Mark's personal anecdotes from his time with the Irish men's squad and his unforgettable moments at St Andrews, where the pressure of performance is as palpable as the coastal breeze. Discover how the right partnership on the course can set the pace for victory and how playing in front of a home crowd adds layers of emotion to the game.
Stepping into the professional realm, Mark shares the tangible shift from amateur trophies to the strategic considerations of sponsorships and financial stability. The conversation takes a deep look at his strategic equipment choices and the ongoing quest for longer drives, balanced with the nitty-gritty reality of securing a tour card. Join us as we explore Mark's professional ambitions, the drive to win on the Challenge Tour, and his laser-focused aim at the DP World Tour, all while unearthing the very essence of what it means to turn passion into profession.
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From the emerald greens of Ireland to the manicured fairways of college golf in the United States, Mark Power’s journey embodies the dreams and dedication of any young golfer aiming for the stars. In this candid conversation, we uncover the highs and lows of Mark's ascent from a wee wonders champion to an Irish squad standout, with personal tales that echo the heartbeat of competitive spirit. His transition to collegiate golf opens a vista into the culture of American sports, where lessons on resilience and the camaraderie of team play shape not just a golfer's swing, but their very character.
The electricity of the Walker Cup and the cherished bond formed within the Great Britain and Ireland team offer a compelling glimpse into Mark's world, where nerve-wracking flag-raisings and adrenaline-fueled putts are all part of the game. Revel in Mark's personal anecdotes from his time with the Irish men's squad and his unforgettable moments at St Andrews, where the pressure of performance is as palpable as the coastal breeze. Discover how the right partnership on the course can set the pace for victory and how playing in front of a home crowd adds layers of emotion to the game.
Stepping into the professional realm, Mark shares the tangible shift from amateur trophies to the strategic considerations of sponsorships and financial stability. The conversation takes a deep look at his strategic equipment choices and the ongoing quest for longer drives, balanced with the nitty-gritty reality of securing a tour card. Join us as we explore Mark's professional ambitions, the drive to win on the Challenge Tour, and his laser-focused aim at the DP World Tour, all while unearthing the very essence of what it means to turn passion into profession.
Follow amateur info
https://instagram.com/irish_amateur_golf_info?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Okay, welcome back to the Irish amp podcast. This week I'm joined by Mark Powell. Mark, welcome to the Padme man.
Speaker 2:How you doing. Gary, thanks for having me on. I'm sure we'll have plenty to cover, so looking forward to getting stuck into it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's definitely a few discussions there. I suppose, before we get to kind of a lot of the reasons I would know you are, people potentially listen to this would know you. When did you take up the game initially, mark?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I guess I grew up into a golfing family. Mom and Dad both played for golf for Ireland and both sides of the family Everyone was kind of involved in golf in some way. So I just had a steady progression around the game. I'd say, since I can remember 4 or 5 and when you can start, when your brain starts to formulate some sort of idea of what's going on, for all that I knew golf clubs were around, so I just had them in my hand and I just suppose I just got into it from there. And I actually got into the county golf club when I was 8 years old. I think it was the first 8-year-old to get into the club, so it was ever since then I was properly introduced to the game.
Speaker 1:I suppose you were touching it there your mom and dad kind of like. Obviously they've played for Ireland and have a fairly successful amateur career themselves. So how was that like few growing up? Was the pressure there from you on yourself, or was it just because of the relaxed environment?
Speaker 2:It was actually a very relaxed environment. I think that I have been lucky in that sense, like mom and dad obviously know a lot about golf and they know that the more you try and push it it'll definitely be a good chance of a backfiring here on your face. So I was gently encouraged into the game. Like I played a lot of sports growing up, like I played soccer, so hurling, going up the county you have to play hurling and I loved it, like I just loved all sports. So I was introduced to, I mean, golf obviously, but plenty of other sports as well, and there was never any pressure on me to, I guess, be a golfer, or it was never pushed on me, which is great, and I just learned to love the game, like it was obviously in the genes somewhere there. But I mean you still have to put in a lot of work and suppose I have done and it's paid off so far, but there's plenty more to go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I suppose, like the fact that like this was, when there is no pressure, like you have a great environment, to like go back and ask questions up. Yeah, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 2:Like it's a game where you can never, you never will learn enough, Like there's always little. No, it's like, in any facet, like mental game or any you know any technical side of the game, there's always stuff to be learning. So although sometimes you don't exactly want to listen to your parents that much, they have been great support and whenever I suppose need a bit of support or advice, they're always there and happy to help out.
Speaker 1:So like you had success early I suppose. Like actually I was chatting to someone day to day they're an ex pro and they ran about the wee wonder thing. You played and my home club here actually is in from I and you played there one time and I think you this is the time where you used to play like the distance bat, yeah, two holes further or three holes further than everybody else. You just put in conversations kind of I was laughing when he was telling me. But I suppose, like you had success, I suppose at a very early age. So like, at what point in do you look at like golf becoming something that you're going to focus on?
Speaker 2:because, as you said, holding in he is massive, like yeah, I just think I was probably a very competitive kid so I just wanted to succeed in whatever I was doing. Like if I was playing soccer, I want to score as many goals as I could. If I was playing hurling, I always wanted to try and score as much as I could. So golf was very similar. I just wanted to. It was just if any competition I was involved in I want to do.
Speaker 2:Well, from a young age I suppose, playing those wee wonders things like they kind of, you're exposed to competition. You know, in a golf sense it's tricky when you're that young to really understand what could be. But I suppose when I was kind of getting to that 10, 11, 12 age group where I was going to St Andrews competing in the wee wonders finals and winning them, that's when you kind of think like if I could beat these guys over in England and Scotland and Wales and stuff, maybe you know I could continue to do it on a bigger scale. But then again you're still so young. It's like you just rolling with things and I was lucky to get into the Irish squads when I was 12, 13 on the under 14 panel and all of a sudden you're exposed to great coaching so I was in a match of. It's been a great mentor for me over the years. So, yeah, just to get into the Irish team. It just starts that progression, I guess.
Speaker 1:Golf is a funny one where you can put loads of work in and results can take time or results can come quick, but in general there's always going to be gaps between them. So I suppose, like you don't have a work ethic, where, like you're just going to keep doing what you need to do to improve, like almost all those other results, I suppose is that something that you kind of gathered early in your life.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, like it's actually quite funny, because when I was young I used to hate practice and I used to just love playing on the course and it's probably a bit of a nightmare, I suppose, like almost like greenkeepers in the course, because I just be going out playing, I just want to hit three, four or five balls on every hole, just trying to hit different shots, trying to go and try and find a hard pitch, and I'd be. I just love going around on the course, whereas you never find me hitting balls in the range, although I did like your chipping. Right now I'd try and hit any sort of chip where you're fighting. But I wouldn't have been a kid that was obsessed with the technical side of the game, trying to hit balls and balls.
Speaker 2:I was just mad for getting out on the course trying to figure out right, how can I score the ball as good as I can, like, what if I end up in this position? What, like how am I going to get out of this position? And even to this day, I feel like if I'm ever in the trees and my mind is gone, I'm trying to find any gap I can get. I think that's probably helped from a young age and I suppose that I'm a bit more technical nowadays because my the standards are a bit different, but I still like to get onto the course and be creative and have that kind of practice side of things as well.
Speaker 1:Looking for gaps, learning to shape shots, like all of something?
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1:As life goes on, like I suppose there is a time and place for both, and like a lot of people will start out, particularly at a younger age, like kind of just learning how to play the game. I suppose, like, yeah, I'm still trying to figure out how to get over trees. It doesn't work for me. I mean, look at this, you know me too, me too, me too. But you mentioned the Irish setup there and I suppose, like you've been a part of an Irish setup for a long time, from a very early age, but with that success and ultimately, like in your own game, like you won the Irish buy. Is that 15, I'm going to say yeah, I think I was.
Speaker 2:Maybe I just turned 16.
Speaker 1:I think it was around June, yeah, so again like really taking off big boxes now, where it kind of again a young age so like and of course I'm going to defend it so like. How much of them do you remember?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I remember doing quite well. Well, I won my first one in the Castle and I remember like a great golf course quite similar to Kikini Golf Field where I was about to grow up playing. So I felt quite comfortable on the course, like I was. I was always a long hitter from a young age but did help and I was, you know, I was wild in my young days when I wanted to just smash the ball but actually became quite a long and accurate driver and it was definitely good, a good help. And I remember that week. I remember I just drove the ball great and I was having wedges into a lot of holes and it was fairly, it was fairly comfortable.
Speaker 2:Whereas my second, my second Irish boys win in Castle Troy was was you know I'll never forget how it happened Like I ended up going into a sudden left play, or sorry, three-hole playoff and birdie my first hole and the ladder was against me the bogey. And then I bogey the next hole, he birdie. And I was thinking you know I'm after not choking this but I could have made it easier on myself. But to hold out in that third playoff hole to get the win was just like I'll never forget. I mean I've hit some big shots, you know, in big moments like Walker, cubs and stuff, but like that might be one of the best. It'd be hard to be like walk off, hold out in the playoff and those moments are great, like you know, winning your Irish national championship, but kind of 16, 70 is massive.
Speaker 1:So was there enough room and a mental piece of home with your parents? Sure, if he's to get yours as well? Or did you have to extend the house? Or what's the plan after like?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, no, I was making sure my mind were getting up there that I was throwing theirs up to the attic and I don't know. I know it was great Like, and my brother would have played, kind of he would have played for Lentzter and would have won a few other things as well, but he didn't get any Irish boys. So I was definitely taking the mental piece anyway.
Speaker 1:Probably the place for the new ones. Like You're wearing a wick for us top and I suppose these two wins and another stuff kind of leads You've done that route I suppose. Like it gives you an opportunity for big colleges to come looking at.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:How did your initial kind of look at colleges go? Like something I kind of kind of interested in, but like you get to them and then they get back to you, so it's a bit of back and forth, is that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, now the rules do do change quite often. But from what I understand I think it's when you enter your second last year it's our fifth year, I guess college coaches can start to contact you and you can kind of be in constant communication but maybe organizing visits or even just, you know, trying to start to get the ball rolling as a little starting point. But for me I kind of started looking and transition year Like I'd been to America a few times I think. I don't think I'd ever played golf over there. So I didn't know a whole lot about the States, I didn't really know what colleges were the best ones. But I started to transition year to look into it a lot more.
Speaker 2:Luckily Paul McBride had gone there. You know former Walker Cupber from the island. He went there, he got on great. So he kind of helped me, I guess get in contact with the coaches kind of without bending the rules early. And luckily I had one on Irish Boys and I was doing decently. So I suppose it helped the recruiting process. But yeah, it's a tricky one. It helps if you have some success, like I suppose I had, just so you get on the radar. But generally the college coaches would come over to British Boys and stuff like that, and they came and watched and thankfully they were impressed. So that's kind of how it started.
Speaker 1:So I suppose in around the same time then you're kind of getting called up for men's, the Irish men's team as well. So I think that becomes a big staple of your golfing story in particular, like for the next number of years. The team golf, obviously, but we have forest, yeah. A lot of history with Ireland and a lot of history with GB and I, but something I wanted to ask you.
Speaker 1:It was in one of the press conferences in the Walker Cup and you made a statement and we get to walk up to the minute but, like before we get to the all the stuff, like you were saying that you were looking to learn to get your singles golf as good as your team golf ultimately yeah, In some way like that.
Speaker 1:But is that still the case which you like in terms of like I suppose you felt you could elevate your game playing team golf. So like, yeah, doing to kind of bring that to your singles game at the moment.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's definitely something to do with the mental fast of the game and it's pretty interesting. I feel like I'm a fairly mentally resilient person. I can obviously go hot and cold, like most people, but I feel like I have fairly good approaches to deal with it. But I guess when you're playing in a team environment on a stage like the Walker Cup, there's no hiding. It's such a big occasion and for some reason that just really ignites something inside of me. Nerves are on a complete height and sometimes it can bring out the best of you, which is unusual.
Speaker 2:Generally, if you're in a relaxed state you could perform better, but for me it's almost trying to get wound up to really lock in. It's definitely something, yeah, like even in that Walker Cup I didn't play great the first morning and I was getting a little bit antsy, but I went out in the afternoon and played great and the rest of the week was great. So even just trying to take that into the few events at the start of this year, just trying to find that space and it's tricky, it is hard to find you can replicate it really. But God, it's just this game it really is. Sometimes there's no words for it sometimes, but, yeah, still trying to search, but I feel like it's in there and I suppose I'll have plenty more chances to try and show, hopefully next number of years 100% We'll have to get you some heavy metal songs or something before you go.
Speaker 1:But we'll get the Walker Cup and we'll give it the time Julie deserves. But I suppose it was just the question that was kind of in the back of my head as we were chatting. So as you start progressing through the Irish ranks, let's talk a little bit about that. So what's your kind of I suppose your tree fund as memories being away with the Irish league?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would say early on, like we did a. I think I'd just been exposed to the Irish men's squad. It was maybe just turned 16. And we did a training weekend away in PJ, catalonia and I remember I was staying with like we would have been like Connor Ork, johnny Yates, colin Farrowett or like lads who were like seven, eight, nine years older than me and like we were kind of put up in these apartments and like you know really nice class courses and we did just kind of a training week and we played a bunch of matches and different things and I just remember thinking like this is really cool, like I was with so was the men I felt on like I was almost a child still like and even just to be able to hang around with those lads, like understand where they're at in a mental kind of state and just trying to learn different things often. So that was definitely an early one.
Speaker 2:I suppose my first cap was in the Kerry Cup, which is when the Irish men's team play against the Metsch Republic and the Goffs Association and kind of New York area, and I was put with Collie Campbell, who was kind of the you know, the backbone of the Irish team, like you know, the ice fan as such, and he kind of took me under his wing a little bit and we played against Stuart Hagastad in the fours. Since I was beaten and I remember just thinking this is class, like really getting stuck into it. I was only 16, 17, playing alongside Collie who's, I'm not afraid to say, about 15 years older than me, so I need to probably touch him 40 now I think. But again, just class legend, I'm Rick Offen. Ireland playing alongside guys like that was unreal.
Speaker 2:And then obviously, moving on to like representing Ireland and European championships and we came very close in Royal St George's against Spain in this was it the semi-final a couple of years ago and I remember just the buzz of that week. I played with Liam Nolan in the fours, since we just we formed a big bond, we went on beating them, played great and we're really close to having a really good week there. But just looking back and stuff like that is great and very lucky to have those experiences kind of under the belt.
Speaker 1:Yeah because like it's something I suppose for me like the more I've got into what I do, and like kind of seeing, I suppose like the trips to South Africa or like the European championships, like there's a lot of great opportunities there for you when you get to that level. Like isn't that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely yeah, like you're playing at the top of. You know you're playing at the top of European golf. Or even suppose we even get to go to places like South Africa. You're getting to play against some of the best African players and obviously US amateurs and stuff, so you're exposed to the very top level of amateur golf. So it's just great to get a handle on where your game's at and, exposing those high pressure situations, you understand your flaws and maybe tendencies that you kind of come across when you're under the cosh. So even just learning more about yourself from those situations is very helpful, yeah.
Speaker 1:So then you go to work for us. So you arrive and work for us. So what was the deciding factor to make it?
Speaker 2:go to work. I think the size of the school was it's only four and a half thousand undergrad. Like it's a fairly small campus. Like everything is right there. Like the golf facility was 100 yards from my freshman dorm where I was staying the first year, so like everything was just seemed unbelievable, like I was basically living on one of the best practice facilities I've ever come across. Alex Fitzpatrick was obviously going there, who I knew pretty well, so it was an easy pull. Like I knew. I knew Alex coaches were great, really warm to them. They seemed like they had good kind of pathway to the playing. Schedule was great. So it was an easy. It was a really easy sell, to be honest. Like when I, when I got there, I knew that's where I wanted to be and, yeah, I loved every minute of it.
Speaker 1:If we're talking highlights away, as far as I suppose, it didn't take you long to get your first highlight, and when I guess which is one of your first ones. So yeah, eastlake. I'm guessing everybody listening to this knows where Eastlake is, or I've seen these days. So part me through that week a little bit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I actually had my best finish, so I would. I think we'd played three events so far and I had a top four, I think the week before at a really good event and I think.
Speaker 2:I played the Sahih Tagal in the final round. I can remember rightly Over that event. He was with Pepperdine at the time. It was at Gofffield with Georgia and I played with him in the final round, beating by a couple of shots, and obviously at the time he was a big name but he wasn't, you know, one of the best players in the world.
Speaker 2:But I knew there was big talks of how good he was and I remember I played against him or played with him last round and, you know, played better than him, beat him, and it just gave me a bit of confidence, like as a what I was just 19 years old kind of five on my feet over there and all of a sudden we were heading to Eastlake the following weeks, played a Eastlake Cup and confidence was just high. And once the once the round got going I just found a groove and was shot five under and want to say, like the likes of Austin Echo, pearson, kudy, all those lads were playing in it and we obviously know Austin Echo was just one last week. So a lot of top names who would have played in that. That is okay. So look, even knowing that I have that stuff in the tank is great to look back on and it was a really good start for me over here yeah.
Speaker 1:Going to Waco means you're not going to compete against the best in America very regularly, if not all of the time, and like would that be within your college again, playing against Alex on a regular basis and Michael and the lads in more recent times, like having that competitive environment around you all the time. I suppose like that must have been one of the biggest draws about going to Waco and going to American general. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we had a really we had a really deep team. When I first got there, like a lot of obviously, I was, you know, one of the youngest guys and there was there was a good eight or nine of us trying to make that top five. So the competition was great. Eugenio Sheikara was also there, who's multi live hard. Has he won on the live tour, maybe agent tour, and he's on the live with Sergio Garcia's team.
Speaker 2:So we had a lot of guys who are extremely talented players, who are surrounded each other, practicing, trying to beat each other every single day. So the environment was really good and obviously, when you have that competitive like we weren't taking each other's heads off, right, but we were pushing each other on to get better each day and you have that inside a team and then you go off to a tournament where everyone wants, does want, to take your head off and they're extremely good golfers. It's a really good environment to be involved in. Like you can either it can either break you or it can. It can kind of toughen you up and be like all right, this isn't going to be easy, but it's kind of the necessary stages you need to go through if you want to get to the top, which we all do. So, yeah, like it's it was. Yeah, in that sense, like it was perfect.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, like it must be. I was chatting to somebody today and we ran a book Disabled, pre-petiering, pro or like internal age gaps and all this kind of thing. I was going to say like there's probably a point where it's either going through America or like turning pro, depending on what you want to do. And obviously the American rule is becoming for Irish golfers is becoming a lot more popular now and they seem to have succeeded that you've had in many years or so. Like it's definitely something that I think the top young lad should be really looking at like good enough.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it definitely is. Like I was lucky that I was exposed to traveling with the Irish team from a young age, so it wasn't a huge move away like I was used to being away from home. It was obviously, you know, something extremely different. But once you get comfortable and understand that, like it's going to be extremely beneficial for you, not necessarily as a golfer but even just growing as a person. Like it's a big move away from home but it's a good sacrifice and if you have the chance you know to any, to any young person even thinking about it, just give it a go. Like I know it's not, it's not going to be for everyone, but once you give yourself the opportunity to see what it's all about and to know the rewards you can reap from it's definitely worth going over.
Speaker 2:And even if you're not going to the Wake Forests or Oklahoma States and stuff, there's good pathways from the Division Two programs. Like just Vincent Norman is one of the popping off the top of my head. He was at a Division Two program for two years, I think, and he transferred to Florida State for his final two years and before you know it he's a winner on the main tour and has his PJs work card. So there's so many opportunities out there, whether you're a late bloomer or you never know when you're going to just click into gear. So it's. It's the place to be like college girls.
Speaker 1:I suppose then like, like, like, the like, the, your Irish thing, so like if you were to take away a tree again. Tree events, tree weeks, whatever it may be, just treatings out of, out of work, or come to your mind first.
Speaker 2:Definitely. The Eastlake Cup is a really you know you grow up watching on TV tour championship and to actually be playing there in a tournament and going win is that immediately was up there for me, I suppose even outside of a golf scene. Like when I first went over like I wasn't too in touch with like American football and the whole rules and everything. But I soon realized like it's a way of life over there and I'd be a big sports fan. So and look at the lads I went in in my class with two American lads, fulton Smith and Daniel Sheedy. They're brilliant teammates. Like they really took me under their wing and kind of introduced me to the American culture.
Speaker 2:And like even going to like the tailgates before football games, like just crazy stuff. Like I wouldn't even imagine that it's just like people, thousands of people, piled into a car park with beer tents and whatnot and you just basically just have a big party before going to watch a game. So even stuff like that is just really cool memories. College and I'd say like getting into a national championship, like and competing with your alongside your teammates, that you practice so hard together all year to have a chance to win a road. Fulton, we never really got close to winning a national championship in my time, but even just to play in it is his class and good memories from my time there.
Speaker 1:So not something I now talk about the part, but American football is the game actually in England because it takes too long for nothing to happen.
Speaker 2:Yeah, look, you have to get into it. When you get into it and you understand the facets of the game and like it's not the quickest going, it's no hurling or Gaelic football, like just no, well, I find Gaelic football slow enough. Of course it's not like hurling or Gaelic football is on the speed of it it's a lot different. But it's just it's so big over there and like it's hard to explain. I love it now but it can be slow and all the ads and establishes and start, but it's just so much to each position that it's easy to really enjoy watching.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's like everything else, If you understand, you know if you probably get into it. But it's crazy to see, like even over there, like at the college stuff like college football and basketball like I see a bit of an online or on TV or whatever, and it's just, it is like it's almost like a church to them, Like everyone turns up, everyone is there, like it's just. It seems like such a college level is mad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like college sports in America are probably bigger than than like the college basketball, college football are almost as big as the NFL and NBA, which is mad to think of. Like it's where else you get that in the world? And it's, and it really it. Just the amount of like money and effort that goes into the whole thing is and is bizarre and it's cool to see me around those atmospheres, like even awake forest, like even just to see the way to basketball and football team train, like we were a smaller school, so like to even be at like an Alabama or LSU or something like that. It's just, it's different level altogether. So it's, it's impressive, like the commitment that these lads put in while they're still going to school. Well, apparently they go to school. I'm not too sure, but we certainly had to, but some of those out maybe given a pass, but all the NIL money that they're all be getting no.
Speaker 1:no, don't think they're going to go to school.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's changed a lot now and, to be fair, like, given how big a product it is, like does make sense that the college players have finally been able to catch in a bit. But yeah, it's just. I don't know is that the best thing, for you know, 19 year old in college should be getting 12 million cents. And that's another thing.
Speaker 1:So we go back to team stuff a little bit. Mark, so you're talking with GB now. You see a massively successful career, particularly individually with GB now like in great results. So let's talk senators 12 and 4. So, like that was that, your first call up was in under 12. You are now GB now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I think I was. I would have been called up to the code year with any of that off. So um was, it was in Slovakia and Panadi golf resort. That was my first, or, sorry, that would have been the year after. That was the year after Seminole, so that would have been my second time represent GB night. But I would have my first um said under trophy and that was our first bit of silver where, like we are, played two walker cups. We didn't win any but they were special weeks but we did. We did take down Europe and plenty Irish on the team as well, which is good.
Speaker 1:So talk me through that one a second before we got to walk a cup. So what do you will? You obviously remember a lot of it, but like what's kind of the highlights of that week.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, Like it's a different dynamic. Like we obviously went in as probably favorites, as opposed to like a walker cup You're, you're generally underdogs given the firepower of the US team. Um, but yeah, again, like it's. It's, I just think like GB night team, it's just formed such a good bond. Um, like the Irish lads were very close to it, but we we have great crack with Scottish, Welsh and English as well. So, um, and even just like I mean partnership wise, like anyone could really play with anyone Was that kind of a team? And like I had been on any GB night team where no one really didn't want to play with each other, Like it was, and that makes picking like parents and stuff and even just playing for each other that much easier. Yeah, and that's that's a key to why a lot of our teams have done so well, Whereas I mean, they're probably a little bit different to maybe a US side or European side where they can be sometimes a little bit focused on their own forms. But look, that's that's another issue.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it seems so, like I suppose the same kind of theory with Ryder Cup seems to kind of go through with the the walker.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, definitely filters through, like definitely does filter through. And even I mean I don't want to say maybe Europe I don't want to throw the Europe side from like the San Andreas trophy into that category but I definitely felt like the US team and I players had a closer bond. We probably knew each other a bit better. So I made it, I made it easier but close the class week again. Just really fun, playing alongside guys that you're generally playing against or or just playing, playing alongside, but but to actually get to compete alongside each other for each other is a really cool thing. So what's?
Speaker 1:going to next. Really nice to get your hands on that trophy.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, we were, we were winning really big, we're winning pretty easily, and then, all of a sudden, it got a little tight. I think we we started thinking what way we're going to celebrate, maybe after something, guys, cause we all like to enjoy ourselves outside, of course and maybe we started to. There was track and things, but we came with a comfortable off wing in the end and it was nice to get the trophy in the hands for GB Right.
Speaker 1:I always get something wrong. So I got the timings of the Walker Cup and the St Andrews won, but that's great, it was not too bad. So let's let's go back to singles. Over a minute. Yeah, your first call up, so let's let's talk first off that phone call like what was that phone call like to receive?
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, brilliant. It's always something that had been a goal of mine. After making a move to the US, knowing that I was on the radar for the GBI team, I knew I'd probably be one of the top players. To actually get that call and to hear the confidence that Stewart had in me was great. So immediately you're thinking about how can I prepare for this. This is going to be like, because I hadn't played in anything that even came close to the feelings that I felt playing in it. So it's one of these it's very hard to prepare for until you get stuck into it and you just have to take baby steps, I guess, and just be reactionary and suppose having John Murphy alongside me was great.
Speaker 2:Actually, just play golf from in the K-Club very yesterday I won the money. I won't be afraid of saying he's heading off to an event next week. So I was thinking we'll take the hand and just give him a bit of confidence. But I think, even though we love each other and we're working team mates together, we like beating each other as well. So I think that's another part of it, just the competitive aspects that we both were like. We were even saying kind of joking to so many guys out there that are really polished but they don't have the grind. But I think me and John definitely have that great like just kind of working, like style to our games, which should go a long way, you'd hope, in professional golf in this cross 100%.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know If you have to work, but similar then. So you didn't get any phone call for the member of Pro now.
Speaker 2:Unfortunately not. No, I was actually seeing there. I think Eric van Rijn was out in the course and the member of Pro and he was kind of hanging on thinking if he'll need to go back for a playoff or anything that Monday morning, because I think it's only you and you can understand the road from where they were playing. Yeah, but actually Austin Echo, speaking of Seminole, austin Echo was the only person I've lost to in the singles at the WaterCup and he absolutely destroyed me. He beat me like six and five. In fairness it was a bit of his good golf and my bad golf, but even just while he just freshened our thoughts because he won the other day, yeah, he took me down to Seminole.
Speaker 1:He did and then, as like you kind of alluded to already, like you kind of farmed a great bond with John over and like you're really strong in the foursome, so like I suppose being over there again, like over in America Walker Cup, having an Irish lad beside you, like you must, like I'd say the buzz must be something unbelievable.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, to be fair, maybe not too many people remember this, but it was a mad week. Like almost half players on both sides came down with some sort of illness, like the day to practice round or the first practice round. So it was a bit all over the place. We didn't know if it was food poisoning or was there some sort of vomiting going around. And I remember thinking, like the night before the first round most guys had been getting over it, but I hadn't been sick at all.
Speaker 2:Like about five or six guys in our team were fine and I remember I was just really nervous you only get them butterflies before and I started thinking to myself Jesus, my stomach's starting to turn here and I certainly feel sick, like. And I remember I slept terrible the night before. I was thinking that I was starting to come down with something. I was just nervous and luckily woke up the next morning and I was fine and ready to go. But it was a. It was a weird run up to it but thankfully, once the event came around, everyone was fine and it was really special week and like we gave us, we gave a really good go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know Like and I suppose contrast that one. Then I suppose like it's at a time with seven co over the word and it's sort of like yeah, so then you get to play in St Andrews Walker Cup. Oh my God, last event is an amateur. So, first off, as it was arriving in St Andrews, I think he got there on Monday or Tuesday while it was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, sunday actually.
Speaker 1:Yeah so, like, what was the initial buzz for? Like all the people saying, like I suppose getting to stay in the old course hotel and just looking over over that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the week started off like we. We definitely built up through the week like it started off. We, we all met up on Sunday evening in the hotel and once we got into our rooms there was a scan of some magic gear laid out Like we all had our own room in the old course hotel, like it was just pinch me kind of stuff, like and the ornate did a great job and kind of setting up the team rooms and it was really cool Like it was. It was definitely a better experience than Seminole because just given the I guess limitations we have with COVID and it was, you know it was hard to have mixed too much with the teams and stuff.
Speaker 2:But this was full on like it was. It was proper either couple kind of stuff and I suppose I had. I was very excited because I knew what to expect a little bit from playing the one before. But I had to play at the old course in front of a home crowd, was never going to be able to prepare yourself fully for it, but we had plenty of practice like we kind of moved into the week slowly. We went out to Kingsborough in a way game on the Wednesday just for something, just something different. But yeah, preparation was great and we're definitely sharp come what's the day. We started on Friday.
Speaker 1:What was the first piece of kid you opened?
Speaker 2:I think it was. It was actually like it was like a purpley kind of golf shirt. I remember thinking like Jesus, my brother, but it was. It was really cool, like it was just kind of one we had for a practice day and all the stuff fit great. I remember thinking it was like a pattern, kind of purple. I think it was after picking this, but drew it on and actually looked sharp enough so. But there was Jesus, endless amount of stuff. So you're an early. I don't even think I opened all the here we, we planted a spare.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know, I suppose it was my first time seeing anything like that and I remember, like all of like, as I was walking down the fairway, there was a load of you coming up and I could see these bags and everyone. I expected you to be matching, but I think it was just very much kind of whoa, that's kind of everything. And then I was talking to Leo about, like after, the room was just full of stuff.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, everywhere, and the golf bag was actually class. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So then you get the honor of raising the Irish flag and fighting back tears. Yeah, they're proud. So I suppose, when did you hear you were going doing it until? And then the second part? That is like, well, try to explain that kind of was anyway.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think I found out the night before, maybe the morning of the ceremony and immediately like it was like my heart started pounding, even just thinking of it because, like the opening ceremony is such a special kind of occasion, especially in front of the O'Lough course clubhouse, and I knew like a bunch of my family and friends are going to be there and and all the guys and plenty of support behind us. So just the initial thought of it was just a pretty proud moment for me and for it to actually for it to unfold was really cool, like National Anthem Glaring kind of a lot of nerves and excitement and, yeah, definitely had to bite the lip a few times but it kind of it definitely got released at the end of the week anyway, 100%.
Speaker 1:Were you more nervous doing that than you were at any push over the week?
Speaker 2:Tell you what I'd say putting the 18 green and raising the flag. I'd say we're bang bang up there.
Speaker 2:I'd love to see, if I had a device on me, what the heart rate would have been shown, and it was actually a few of the lads copped onto it. But as I was raising the flag you kind of have to pull the strings and the flag kind of went inwards. The wind was kind of blowing it inwards and it actually got kind of got stuck in between the strings and it kind of stalled for a second and it like wouldn't go up. When I was pulling the string I was thinking like God, I can make myself look like a right clown in here, like if I half raised the flag. So I kind of had to give it a little pull and thankfully it went up. But yeah, that would have been a rough start to the week.
Speaker 1:I have the expression in your face on VideoMark if you want to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it definitely shot me for a second.
Speaker 1:We went to the partnership with Liam as well. So like you get back together over here again and kind of like very, very strong performance over, so I suppose, like that couple of days, I suppose having the home crowd, having your family there, like that must have been like you couldn't write a better way to send off your amateur career like you did.
Speaker 2:No, definitely not. Yeah, like, even just looking back in an hour, it's pretty. It's just such a special week like to finish like that. Yeah, like, and I was really happy to just get some good guys played under such big pressure, like, but I mean, it's obviously nice to play well and it would have been nice to win, but just the memories like that hold from that like would be, would be up there with anything.
Speaker 2:And, yeah, I suppose with my certain name, as we've kind of touched on, had formed a really good partnership with Ireland. We're very close, like even just throughout the years we've roomed together with Ireland and to come out fighting that morning when we knew we need to put the foot down and we kind of gave, we gave, we gave even I, the league, going into the singles. Like we knew that it was important that we kind of came out in the morning and put the foot down and all the guys followed us. So it was kind of nice to have that role. Like that was our instruction just get out, get out, get out early and let the US team know, like that we're, we're going on first. Unfortunately we didn't quite hang on but like the, I think we made four birdies in the last five holds or something like that. And I remember the buzz, it was just unreal and fish, homes were flown and all that. So, yeah, you can't be there.
Speaker 1:You had a couple of matches, like even in an individual one like, where I suppose, like leading a coming down distress choice of both like and that pressure like I couldn't believe, just watching it, like the amount of people, one that was there and like you could almost feel it, like you, you could feel the pressure just watching it. So like, yeah, for you then to take away if not suppose they've been able to been able to perform under that like. I suppose, like there is no better stage than say, yeah, I definitely belong in the program, or I can do it the next time I'm under the class.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's exactly it. You don't know how you're going to react in those situations until you're actually there. So you can be as good a golfer as on the range or playing in practice and stuff. But until you get into a situation where sometimes you can't even feel your hands or you feel like your heart's going to explode out your chest if you can't get a golf shot or even just perform to a decent level under those conditions you're going to have a tough task to try and make it as a professional golfer, because those are things that you're going to face in big moments, like you'd obviously get by and stuff.
Speaker 2:But if you really want to try and get towards the top of the game, there are the stuff that you need to really want to drive in and it's mad. Looking back now, obviously it felt like there was a lot of pressure, but when you're in the heat of battle you just drive off all that energy. You don't really see it as pressure, but you don't really see it as anxiety or anything. It's more just feeding off and you're instinctually just rolling with it and just trying to win.
Speaker 1:You mentioned it there, keeping in the emotion under raising the flag and leaving it all open. I was talking to you the morning of the singles. I think it was on the second or third hole. I was going to say oh yeah, your last putt now is going to be to win the Walker Cup. You end up doing it to win your match and you left out a nice bit of emotion and fairness. So part two was again stuff of dreams.
Speaker 2:Aiding.
Speaker 1:Green, st Andrews, absolutely surrounded. You've come from I think you were two or three down earlier. You were put in Aiding to win it.
Speaker 2:Tell us how that felt. Yeah, there's endings of your match. Obviously, ideally you want to win like five and four if you could, but to be walking down 18, one of like 18, st Andrews, probably one of the most iconic holes, recognisable holes in all of golf. Anyway, that's what I'm to be competing in.
Speaker 2:I suppose you're thinking you're walking up that 18th, you're in the zone, but you're thinking kind of back of all the great memories you've had of true amateur golf and I definitely was like I was thinking of all the great times and the great opportunities I've been given and then for all to be kind of hitting you, walking up to the green, no one to disappear, last hole, to have a chance to grow with a win, like it was just you can't get it, you can't write it any better. I'm really lucky to have had that and definitely, like you know again, although we didn't win like it just feels so lucky to have had those kind of feelings and definitely couldn't feel the hands, legs or anything over that last three footer, but just completely released that then after and the emotions going to hit you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, signing off as an amateur, you're not going to do it any better, to be fair. And then, on the complete flip of that, like signing in as a pro to get that opportunity at home. So when did you find out you were in the Irish Open?
Speaker 2:Yes, so we had a press conference right after the Walker Cup and we were all a little bit down like but Proudler says it, we put up a great fight. Like it. Myself and John Gough were in that interview and like we were both just after finishing up around your career, john class player and good friend of mine as well and we were both a little bit emotional, like we were happy that we're moving on to the pro stages and stuff, but we're obviously disappointed that we left the amateur game behind and we literally both have found out. We both found out right after the press conference. Like I had missed calling my phone.
Speaker 2:I think he got a text from his manager to say that he's in and he kind of said to me like you know, I think someone was trying to ring me there, like he obviously knew that I got in and I kind of was looking at him like what's that all about? So I rang what was to be sure cage from the European tour, offering me the spot and just again the emotions just go to a different place again. Like I mean, I'm teamed up the following week, first Pro events in the Irish Open. Like you know, another pinch me a moment it's like geez. Everything is just happening. All the ones here.
Speaker 1:So you get home from San Andrews Sunday or Monday, I guess at some point. Yeah, I got back one of the morning sleep.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a little bit. Kind of we were, we were enjoying ourselves and we were. But everything comes to a point where all the adrenaline just goes and the pro needs just just take off. You just can't take anymore. So yeah, I can't quite remember how we finished things up, but yeah, just all the adrenaline goes out after a while. And slept for a little bit, yeah, you slept for a little bit.
Speaker 1:Stop prepping for your pro life. So talk me through that. Do we so in the cake?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I took it fairly easy. To be honest, like I, there was a lot of adrenaline that they didn't need to wear off and you obviously need to get it up again and it was a fairly easy event to get up for. So I was lucky in that sense. But I knew the course and played a handful of times before so I had a fair idea. But the rough was proper juicy so it was quite different to what I could remember. So I took it fairly easy.
Speaker 2:I think I played two, I think it may be played nine on the Tuesday and 18 on Wednesday, so I or something like that anyway. So I just kind of eased myself into the week and we felt come Thursday I was sharp and ready to go again. I got a good bagman, dermot Burn, on the bag who had done an Irish open a couple of years before with me when I made the call up and got a go home. So I knew Dermot and then the great Caddy and you obviously had done decently together before. So everything just kind of fell into place for a great week.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's never a backing to make a paycheck on your first week as a pro.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it was a nice event to get into as well, because not only was it the Irish open in the cake, the money, an hour from home, I actually stayed at home that week. Yeah, it was an elevated event. So, like prize money was brilliant and I kind of joking. It was kind of joking looking back in it, but I probably shouldn't be thinking this way. But like I remember thinking and fighting around like geez, I could do making a couple of birdies coming in here, like all right, or I'm not going to win as much money, like and it's just different.
Speaker 2:It's a different mindset. Like now that you know you're not playing for trophies or you're playing to make teams or you're playing to survive, like yeah, it's very different. But you don't want to be thinking like, oh, money and this and that, like it's points and trying to get onto the cement. Your position on the tour is kind of the goal as you need to be setting. But yeah, look, it was a bit of an experience at the time, but I had a great week. Like even to get paired with Alex Fitzpatrick in the first round like college team is a good friend of mine. Like it was just perfect.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I suppose, like I think you can definitely be forgiven for counting the money coming in like it's your fault, like you said, like the chance of having your first event be elevated, so like there is money to be made there, I suppose, so like it's not something that was going to kind of go over easy. But again, sorry, pretty much like all you could ask for is to start out your journey. So what's the plan at the moment? So like your kind of DP World War Challenge Tour status?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have a small category on the Challenge Tour that I got for Q-School. Q-school is another cruel and experienced that I had behind me. Like I again all great to kind of face. You know it was early on my career but I three put my last fold to miss the cut at the final stage, q-school. So I'm a learning curve, to say the least. But I got a partial Challenge Tour card with that, so I'll probably get maybe five or six starts throughout the year along with eight or nine invites, thankfully. So I'll have a decent schedule to play on the Challenge Tour and then hopefully fingers crossed I get a few DP World Tour opportunities as well.
Speaker 2:So look, for me, as long as I just have opportunities to play, that's all you can ask for. And like I'd love to get that main tour card. That would be a big goal of mine, just to get onto the tour, because I feel like I do have what it takes to be there. But look, the standard is great on the Challenge Tour. Like maybe not too many people listen will know, but like it's really is good. You just there's not a whole lot of a step up from the Challenge Tour to the DP World Tour. Like. It's obviously a bit more depth, but the guys can can go low Like, so you need to. It's not. It's not easy to make the jump, but I do. I back myself. I think I've got enough to do. Yeah, 100 percent.
Speaker 1:So the tools that are going to get you there. You have a series in the nice release of a lovely looking bag full of tailor made equipment. And taught me through the experiences Maybe you've had a before and it's just naive me, but like I've seen some of the social stuff for like you were over in tailor made HQ, full fitting pretty much like pride in the place what was that like?
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, it was different.
Speaker 2:I never had an experience like that so it was really cool to take it all in.
Speaker 2:So basically Tainemite had all the their staff players out to Trump International Dubai that's kind of the tailor made base out there so to do a bunch of photo shoots with the new bags and to guess the new signies as well, and so it was really cool even just to spend the week with the builders Martysel and Sanjay, alex, marine. They're the kind of main guys on tour van so to even just build a relationship with them, to for them to get an understanding of what clubs you're using, what you like to see I guess in a build or what way you like your clubs made. So they're top class those lads and I suppose the small margins when you're out on tour. So to have those things fine tuned is nice and just to have the relationship with the lads that are building your clubs is nice and look very lucky and thankful to Tainemite for kind of support me and I've looked at used to in my club since I was 15, 16. So I look I know the been kind of with it through through the whole journey.
Speaker 1:Can they build me a driver that goes as far as yours, big ass? I say they'll try.
Speaker 2:they say they can try all right, but you might need, you might need Peter to keep, keep, keep strengthening you up before you need a couple of more sounds like just to get it going.
Speaker 1:I think my two farmy piss missile in the air kind of needs a bit of work, like you know tell you speed.
Speaker 2:Speed training is popular nowadays and there's always there's so much, so much out there nowadays for people to to hit a further and to become more explosive. And look, it's exciting when you can try on a few extra yards and a new driver is great and it's faster. So if you're thinking of an investment, anyone out there in the QI 10s up there and this- is what is what Merit?
Speaker 1:always, power comes from the QI 10. What's happened in the bag, actually?
Speaker 2:I hit the P7 MC so they're the kind of I don't know Blades, but they're the. Yeah, they're nice now. They're not too thin and there's. They give me a little bit of forgiveness, thankfully, so hopefully they'll be able to sort you out.
Speaker 1:I don't have the ball striking for them ones, but we'll pass it on. Maybe something a bit of a bigger head. I had blades a couple of years ago and I think I've learned that I'm just too old and too lazy to continue.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, there's no need. There's no need, there's no need no.
Speaker 1:And in front of your bag, mount Julian. Of course, I suppose you've had a lot of you've played now, so you've got a bit of a history with them as well. So how did that come about here?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so Mount Julian have been great to me the last number of years. I obviously live basically across the road from Kennygoth but it's obviously a smaller course and practice facilities not quite as easy to use and it's a bit busier. So Mount Julian it's a great place for me to go out and huge range great facilities, chipping and putting green. So I love to go out there and make good use of my time and I think they've seen the work I have put in and as I was making that jump to be of a fashion, they're happy to jump on board and sponsor me by trying to name the bag and I guess, being an ambassador for Mount Julian, I only live 15 minutes, just on the edge of town. So it's a perfect kind of collaboration and it's been great to me.
Speaker 1:It's great to have again, have that support like, have a feeling that people are willing to put their, their money behind your orders, their equipment, whatever it may be, but again it's just confidence for you going forward.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely Like it's look. It's nice knowing, starting out, that there are people back in you and people do want to see you succeed. Like it's. It's not cheap to be going out and training weekends to the likes of Dubai, and, but these are things you need to be doing Like you need to try and get a handle on your game and traveling around All so to know that people are behind you that are supporting you and wanting to see you do well is massive Like, because if you don't do right from the start can be can be hard to to come back a little bit. So I feel like I've got off to a nice start, like my framework is. I guess I have a good framework behind me and be thanks to all my sponsors and Mount Julian for kind of help me out with that. Yeah.
Speaker 1:No, it's great and I think it's something that the Gulf War does really well. But it's always great to see that when people start to go back getting a hand like that.
Speaker 2:But yeah, and I definitely think, as Irish people were very, we get great support from our own Irish people love to see other Irish people do well and I know many people would love to see more Irish pros on the scene. Like there's a small I don't want to say there's a gap, like Tom is absolutely killing it and fair play to him, like, but there is probably. There is definitely room for more, more Irish pros out there, like and look, the more of us out there the better. So hopefully we can kind of give because Irish golf fans are so passionate so we go to throw is more of us from to share on? Yeah, 100%.
Speaker 1:I think I just said like Tom was going well yeah, there was like a bit of a load, we'd say, on the European tours Like yeah like there's enough of you, van Derneau, recently like good players and hopefully, like I was saying, this is something sort of like in the next year or two. Like I'd be very surprised if we weren't sharing on a couple of people on the DP World Tour and people on and stuff and the Editing a couple more. But if we are sitting here again, so in 2025, I think what year it was it's getting a bit last. What would Macro like to have achieved this year?
Speaker 2:Well, I definitely like to have achieved a win on the challenge tour.
Speaker 2:That's one of my main goals.
Speaker 2:My main goal is to be to secure a full card in the DP World Tour and to be playing at the top level in Europe where I can have a pathway to, to get to the very top of the game, which is there's no, there's no point in saying that it's not a speedy tour at a minute, like I mean, there's obviously a lot going on in the golf world, but the top level of the PGA Tour is where it's at, still in my eyes, anyway.
Speaker 2:So, look, there's a good pathway to be there. But in the times of your question, just want to be on the DP World Tour and obviously we'll have to reset the goals then, but that'll be great. I want to be be a great starting point. But even, look, even if I don't happen to gain game, I follow the DP World Tour card. If I can just gain a full card in the challenge tour to give me a framework to try and to go one better, I wouldn't be disappointed in that, because I do understand that there's there's levels to it. Everything is going to happen all at once, but hopefully the DP World Tour. That's the plan.
Speaker 1:So you could have went to live well, not to live directly before everybody could be on the quiz, but there was an opportunity for you to go to the qualifier from playing and walk up. So I suppose I'm not going to vote a game that is, I suppose, as brutal enough in terms of golf, where it's about owning a living and there was potential of the lift off, so why wasn't that an option for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was definitely something I thought of. I suppose at the time live was still very much an unknown, like it was before the whole merger thing was announced, and it was definitely its own commodity. And it was to me like the European Tour had been very good to me. They'd given me plenty of starts before I had any sort of category. So I felt like I want to be allowed to them. They'd give me some good starts to play the two events in Australia and I kind of just said, look, I want to try and build up through the challenge tour, dp World Tour, that's the pathway I wanted to get on and obviously if I went to the live Q-School and had a qualified, it would have been a cool opportunity.
Speaker 2:But it wasn't exactly where I wanted to go. I don't think it just was a bit Look, it's the Gotham World is so open here with that whole stuff. So it's just, it probably may have limited myself. So I'm fairly set on the goals I have and they're definitely to conquer that kind of DP World Tour route, yeah and 100%.
Speaker 1:And I suppose that you've had a dream, a goal, whichever way you want to put it, but like, and the steps, the steps are coming. Like you've like, we've touched on a lot of stuff here and obviously you have, you've had that, you've had the individual events, you've had the team stuff, you've had to walk a cup stuff, so like, the pathways you would have envisioned happening have been happening.
Speaker 2:So like, I suppose for you though I didn't much point in our doing that kind of direction right now, like yeah, absolutely Like, and I feel even the last couple of years I feel like my game is better than maybe my results have shown. So like, I still feel like a fair bit in the tank is maybe having quite got through the exact individual results that I wanted. I know I've performed well at different times, but just I just want to keep sticking to what I feel like I have kind of inside and hopefully it'll come out this year and see what we can do. Maybe, maybe, make another one at the Irish Open. Right, count you down, be nice, be nice, wouldn't that?
Speaker 1:I'd probably be up there watching it. Mark, thank you very much for your time. I really enjoyed that chat, my man, and best of luck in the coming season. Thanks very much, Gary.
Speaker 2:That was great and hopefully people got some interesting insights. And yeah, thanks for having me on and I'll be looking forward to following the amateur scene again this year, Maybe at the West in the month. Is that the? Is that?
Speaker 1:the end of the the West is in a couple of weeks, yeah, and I can't wait to stand around in the rain and the wind.
Speaker 2:It won't even be able to hold an umbrella If they could move it to the ball actually for when your training can't break in.
Speaker 1:I think it would be a great, great victory.
Speaker 2:I'm actually heading out there shortly enough, thankfully, not to rub it in, but be looking forward to it now. Best of luck over there. My man Cheers Gary.