We had a ball in the amateur days, especially in the Interpros. It was great fun and they’re still friends of mine
1. When did you first pick up a club?
I was into soccer and rugby as a kid, and we used to play pitch and putt at Highfield. So I played pitch and putt for a few years before a guy called Des Dempsey took me up to Douglas Golf Club when I was about 17 or 18, and that was it. I was hooked.
2. You played soccer with new Irish amateur team captain John Carroll, who played for Cork Celtic. So soccer’s loss was golf’s gain?
Yes, I grew up with “Blondie” and played on the same team. He was a good player, but I played in goal. I was only small at 13 or 14 – the smallest of the bunch, which is a scream. I played schools rugby but golf took hold, and I’d pop into Monkstown at 6 in the morning to hit a few balls.
3. So how’s your golf?
I had 10 or 12 good years on tour but to be honest, my putting deserted me. I had a lot of fear. But by working hard on it and having psychotherapy and even being hypnotised a few times by a friend in Cork, Des Doyle, it’s come around, and I am starting to putt really well.
I won six times on tour, but I just wish I could have hit the ball as well then as I do now, which is ridiculous. I hit
He turned professional at 50 and won €1.38 million alongside some legends on the European Senior Tour.
But ask Cork’s Denis O’Sullivan who he wants to tee it up with and his old amateur pals are his first choice every time.
more greens now than I ever did. Touch wood, I think the problem with the short stick has gone.
4. You will be 70 in March. Can you still get it out there?
I got to the gym in Maryborough House Hotel two or three times a week to work on my strength and flexibility. I might even be longer now than I was in my amateur days and technology helps.
5. So you are you breaking your age?
I played Fota Island before Christmas with George Mellerick and two pals, and I had eight birdies and no bogeys off the medal tees – 65 on a par-73 golf course! Not bad.
6. It would be nice to get back on tour, I guess.
It would be lovely. I have an all-time money exemption but they reduced the field sizes from 74 to 54, and that’s taken out guys like me. Who can blame them? I wouldn’t mind playing a few but not a full schedule anymore.
7. So what’s next?
I am off to the Sangster Pro-Am in Barbados next week, which I love. I’ve been going there for 18 or 19 years. I love to travel to the sun.
8. Driver or putter?
I was always a good driver the ball, but in the years I played well, I was a phenomenal putter. I was looking for inspiration recently and found some old tapes of my first two wins at the end of 2000, and I couldn’t believe how many putts I holed.
I’d pick putter.
9. How did your putting in 2000 compare to playing the Irish Close at Portrush in 1976, when you lost to Declan Branigan?
Ah, The Branno. I beat him in the final in Westport in 1985, and we met again two
of years ago when he came to Venice with Des Smyth. He is so funny. He remembers every shot from the 1970s and ’80s. I remember nothing.
10. I think he remembers Westport quite well.
He probably remembers me trying to talk him out of it.
11. What can you remember from those amateur days?
I remember we had a ball, especially in the Interpros. I think Munster won five or six years in a rowan di twas great fun. We had guys like Pat Lyons, Tom Cleary and Peter Cowley, and they are still friends of mine.
12 It was a happy era for Irish amateur golf. Do you remember winning the East of Ireland in 1990?
I remember a few of us were five behind at lunchtime on the final day, and Garth McGimpsey was a bit ahead of us and Liam MacNamara was leading. We said, if one of us shoots 69, which was four under, we’ll win. And I did. Garth wasn’t pleased, but I love McG.
13. What was your favourite venue?
I love Baltray and Lahinch, but my great love was Royal Portrush. I never played the North but won the Senior Cup with Cork there in ’75, I was runner-up in the Close and part of an Irish team that won there, and I was fifth in the British Senior Open there too. I love links golf.
14. Do you remember your first steps as a pro?
I played with Bernard Hunt in my first Senior tournament, and at the end, he said, “Keep at it, and you’ll do well.” I did, and after a few top 20s, I was fifth in the British Seniors.
It gave me a huge amount of pleasure to play with guys like Maurice Bembridge and Ian Woosnam and Gary Player. I couldn’t believe I was playing with these guys.
15. Name your dream fourball?
I’d play with my pals every time – Peter Cowley, Pat Lyons and Tom Cleary. I’ve played with Player and Langer and Woosie, but it’s not the same.
16. Who impressed you most as a golfer?
I remember playing with Paul McGinley when he was an amateur. He was special. And Darren Clarke, when he came on the scene, was miles ahead of everyone. And 100 yards past everybody too.
I remember McGimpsey at 16 or 17, and Raymie Burns looked like an Open champion.
17. Do you watch the game now?
I’ll watch Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington and I enjoy Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth. But I get bored by a lot of them, like Dustin Johnson. They leave me cold.
18. If I gave you a mulligan in your career what would it be?
I was leading going into the last day in Paris in 2000 and the course became so waterlogged, we were taken off after nine holes.
They said I had won and to go and change. But then we were told that the sponsors wouldn’t pay out if we didn’t finish. So we went back out, I plugged in a bunker and took about six to get out and Nick Job won.
Robbed! (Laughs).