Tournament: Irish Challenge
Venue: Killeen Castle, Co. Meath, Ireland
Hashtag: #Irish Challenge
Irish Challenge preview
Max Kennedy is targeting success on home soil when he tees it up in the Irish Challenge at Killeen Castle this week.
The Irishman, who lives 30 minutes from the course in Co. Meath, has impressed in his first full season as a professional, recording a second-place finish and four other top 20s to sit 26th in the season-long Road to Mallorca Rankings.
Kennedy, who would earn promotion to the DP World Tour by finishing inside the top 20 come November, is hoping that home comforts coupled with strong Irish support can make the difference to his chances of success at Killeen.
“There will be a good bit of support this week,” he said. “There’s been a bit of talk about people coming down and supporting from my home club, so that’ll be helpful.
“Any time in the past that it has happened, I’ve played well, so hopefully I can thrive off that this week.
“I’m staying at home, just outside Dublin, so that’s handy and hopefully that gives me a bit of luck going into this week.
“I obviously want to win, that’s my ambition every single week, and that’s what I’ll try and do this week.”
Kennedy is expecting a tough challenge at Killeen Castle, with the Jack Nicklaus-designed signature course providing one of the longest and statistically hardest tests on the HotelPlanner Tour this season.
“I’ve played here two or three times, and I might be biased, but it’s got to be the best course we play all year,” he added. “It’s really difficult though. There’s not an easy hole on the course, and if you play well, you might shoot two or three under.
“I think the players will enjoy the challenge this week and it’s all set up to be one of the great events this year.”
Kennedy missed out on securing a maiden HotelPlanner Tour win six weeks ago at the Blot Play9, eventually finishing the week second after losing in a play-off to eventual winner James Morrison.
Despite not winning on that occasion, the 23-year-old says the result gave him a welcome boost heading into the final third of the campaign, with his sights set on more than just promotion.
“The aim for the season is to win the Road to Mallorca and to be the Number One,” he added. “To be the leading person from the HotelPlanner Tour going on to the DP World Tour, I think that alone gives you a lot of confidence. That’s my aim.
“I’m progressing in the right direction, getting better and better every month, and the Rankings show that.
“The second place gave me the confidence that not only am I able to compete, but I’m able to win out here in the near future.”
Kennedy will have the added incentive of competing for the Christy O’Connor Jnr Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the highest finishing Irishman this week, and this player will earn a spot in the 2025 Amgen Irish Open at The K Club.
Kennedy joins a strong field in Co. Meath that includes Road to Mallorca Number One Joshua Berry, two-time DP World Tour winner Tom Lewis, and former Ryder Cup player Chris Wood.
The opening round of the Irish Challenge gets under way on Thursday at 7:30am local time, with Kennedy teeing off alongside Dane John Axelsen and Spaniard Alvaro Quiros 8:20am.
