Kildare golfer aiming for Irish  Championship title

QUENTIN Carew has expressed himself ready to try and recapture the Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship he sensationally won on the 20th hole in Headfort Golf Club two years ago. The former Allenwood footballer is keen to atone for the disappointment of 2023 when he lost the title to Robert Moran at the third extra hole at Malone Golf Club.

The Castleknock Golf Club member will tee off with the rest of Ireland’s best amateur golfers when the 2024 AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship gets under way in Dun Laoghaire Golf Club on this Friday, 16 August and runs until Sunday.

The 33 year old was on media duties this week as he looked forward to this year’s competition, an event he really enjoys competing in as he told the Kildare Nationalist this week. “Since winning, it kind of gave me that bit of freedom in it that you're just kind of OK, you want it now. You can just probably enjoy it every time. And I think that helps a lot because I don't feel as tense in this one compared to other ones. I’m just more relaxed,” he explained. “You have to stay calm. And, yeah, I just enjoy it now, like, and I look forward to it because you get to see the trophy on the first tee. And I think back to good memories every time, you know, so you get good, good feelings the whole time now,” he added.

The former Edenderry Golf Club member will use the victory of ’22 as well as the loss of ’23 to motivate him for this year’s competition. “Last year I put up a good defence and then as the days went on, it really started to hurt more because I was like, that would have been just so sweet to have it two in a row. I think (Rory) McIlroy was the last one to do it and I just would have loved to be sitting at home again with that trophy, because it was so nice having it there, you know,” he recalls. “When you see the names on it and your name is there with them, yeah,” he sighs.

“It's giving me a good bit of motivation and it gave me motivation going on to the other tournaments as well,” he continued.

Two years ago, Carew probably came in a little under the radar to capture the title but now he realises that he is one that others will target. How might he cope with that pressure we ask? “It's a great feeling. It was weird at the start because nobody had a clue before two years ago,” he told us. “Again, that's the motivation there. You want to be the best. This year hasn't really gone to plan but the beauty about it is there's always an opportunity there to prove yourself, and everything's forgotten.” Carew combines his golf with his full-time role as a Garda but he praises his employers for the flexibility afforded to him for his golf.

Two years ago, Quentin Carew expressed an interest in turning professional and although his priorities have changed in the intervening period, he still hasn’t fully turned his back on hopes of joining the professional ranks. He and his wife, Mairead, welcomed baby Lily four months ago. “That was a shock to the system,” Quentin says of the arrival of Lily. “I’m learning how to balance work and golf and all so this year been a bit funny, kind of figuring out how to practice and the time to spend at home. I haven't really said goodbye to it totally, but yeah, the priorities have changed a little bit with that.” Like many others in the village of Allenwood, Quentin Carew basked in the glory of the club’s Leinster success in ’23. “There were tough years when I was playing. I've seen them doing well. You’d love to be back on the pitch again, but obviously with golf and football, like they just don't mix.” Not only the great sporting Carew family but all of Allenwood and Kildare will be hoping that Quentin can bring more glory to the sports mad village this weekend.