Hugh Foley aims for successful return to West of Ireland Championship as opening tee times confirmed

The Royal Dublin man won a strokeplay edition of the West in 2021 and dedicated it to his late father, David.

But after enjoying a stellar 2022, when he became the first man since Darren Clarke in 1990 to win the North and South of Ireland titles back-to-back and was runner-up in both the Irish Close and the US Mid-Amateur, he's looking to bounce back this week from a nightmare 2023.

“My confidence definitely did take a knock at times,” said Foley (26), who suffered an injury and poor form and failed to win a place in the Walker Cup team for St Andrews.

“Last year was just too results-driven. I was thinking, I need this to get on the team, so I need top fives and top threes, or I need to win, rather than just playing golf getting better.”

After rededicating himself over the winter, he can't wait to see how his game holds up in the traditional curtain-raiser to the amateur season here and go on to bid for a tour card at Q-School in September.

“I've had great times at Rosses Point, which is where I played my first Championship,” he said.

“So I'm really gunning to get going because I feel like I've improved over the last month or two, and I want to test it out.”

Foley won't have it all his own way at County Sligo, as the Connolly Motor Group-sponsored championship reverts to its traditional format after a two-year experiment with three qualifying rounds and just 16 qualifiers.

There will be two rounds of strokeplay, with 64 to qualify for the matchplay stages on Sunday, and many of the leading contenders are grouped together.

Foley is drawn with TJ Ford, a former South of Ireland winner from Co Sligo, and Walker Cup player Matt McClean from Malone.

Ford returns home with form, having shot 64 in the second round to finish third in the Laytown and Bettystown Scratch Cup last Sunday.

Reigning Bridgestone Order of Merit holder David Shiel from Enniscrone is also in the field seeking his first championship win, while 2017 winner Barry Anderson will be looking to go one better than last year's runner-up finish and keep the trophy at County Sligo.

The 120-man field includes multiple championship winner Colm Campbell from Warrenpoint, reigning North of Ireland winner James Fox of Portmarnock and former Irish Amateur Open and Close champion Peter O'Keeffe from Douglas all competing.

However, only three of the 12-man High-Performance panel were in action due to overseas studies, exams, or clashing events.

Four of our top Boys — Mark Gazi, John Doyle, Fionn Dobbin and Donnacha Cleary — compete in the French Under-18 Boys.

Another 13 players, including High-Performance panellist Jack Hearn, are also missing as they play the R&A Student Series at St Andrews early next week.

With the final of the 'West' set for Tuesday, Junior Ryder Cup player Sean Keeling is also a non-runner as he will be teeing it up in the first round of the Flogas Irish Boys Amateur Open at Ballybunion.

West of Ireland Amateur Open

Tee times (Friday/Saturday)

(06:45/10:25) J Hall (Whitehead), T McLarnon (Massereene), L O'Connor (Edmondstown);

(06:56/10:36) J Hewitt (Tandragee), C Stapleton (Connemara), T McGowan (Edmondstown);

(07:07/10:47) D Brady (Straffan), D O'Keeffe (Hermitage), L Flynn (Dun Laoghaire);

(07:18/10:58) C Davis (Bray), D Kelleher (Portmarnock), D Basquill (Enniscrone);

(07:29/11:09) J Lyons (Galway), D Gwilliam (Coventry), F Dortmans (Sunningdale);

(07:40/11:20) D Beirne (Carrick-on-Shannon), R Lyons (Douglas), P O'Keeffe (Douglas);

(07:51/11:31) H Foley (Royal Dublin), TJ Ford (Co Sligo), M McClean (Malone);

(08:02/11:42) D Shiel (Enniscrone), P Curran (Edmondstown), E Farrell (Co Louth);

(08:13/11:53) D Mallon (Dungannon), C Ward (Carton House), T Cafferky (Ballinasloe);

(08:24/12:04) J Foley (Elm Park), A Dooley (Carton House), R O'Connor (Co Sligo);

(08:35/12:15) P Coughlan (Castleknock), C Keenan (Belvoir Park), D O'Reilly (Farnham Estate);

(08:46/12:26) H Gillivan (Portmarnock), C Campbell (Warrenpoint), J Fox (Portmarnock);

(08:57/12:37) G Collins (Rosslare), K Egan (Carton House), L Gowdy (Bangor);

(09:08/12:48) A Scott (Lochmaben, Scot), A Benson (West Lothian, Scot), A Brady (Co Sligo);

(09:19/12:59) C Murphy (Grange), B Doran (Millicent), T Abom (Edmondstown);

(09:30/13:10) L Hutchinson (Royal Dublin), I Lynch (Rosslare), D O'Riordan (Fermoy);

(09:41/13:21) P O'Hanlon (Carton House), K Robinson (Castlewarden), S Dorman (Bangor);

(09:52/13:32) V Hundeboll (Silkeborg, Den), E McCormack (Galway Bay), J McDonnell (Forrest Little);

(10:03/13:43) R Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire), D Howard (Fota Island), J Whelan (Grange);

(10:14/13:54) T O'Connor (Athlone), R Walsh (Douglas), L O'Meara (Tullamore);

(10:25/06:45) R Gallagher (Galway Bay), L Lynch (Naas), L Mitchell (Portmarnock);

(10:36/06:56) J Keane (Lahinch), M Doogue (Castleknock), S McDermott (Slieve Russell);

(10:47/07:07) C Smith (Co Sligo), J O'Callaghan (Ballybunion), S Cullen (Slieve Russell);

(10:58/07:18) R Latimer (Clandeboye), A Kiernan (Forrest Little), R McCormack (Palmerstown House);

(11:09/07:29) E Rogers (Ardee), J O'Neill (Berehaven), C Hickey (Dooks);

(11:20/07:40) A Buchanan (Royal Portrush), C Kelly (Naas), S O'Neill (Malahide);

(11:31/07:51) O Murphy (Royal Portrush), A Smith (Mullingar), D Flynn (Carton House);

(11:42/08:02) A Mulholland (Castlerock), C Harkin (Letterkenny), L Harris (Hermitage);

(11:53/08:13) L Curran (Castleknock), R Lonergan (Kilkenny), R Carvill (Warrenpoint);

(12:04/08:24) T Finnegan (Co Sligo), F Eager (Royal Belfast), J Adler (Nenagh);

(12:15/08:35) D Keenaghan (Mullingar), J Cunningham (Carton House), J Walsh (Douglas);

(12:26/08:46) P Carey (Nenagh), E Magill (East Clare), S Deasy (Douglas);

(12:37/08:57) G Callaghan (Co Louth), R Fitzpatrick (Naas), J McCarthy (Grange);

(12:48/09:08) C Mooney (Ballinasloe), B Anderson (Co Sligo), S Flanagan (Portmarnock);

(12:59/09:19) R Thompson (Galgorm Castle), R Murray (Balmoral), S Allister (Belvoir Park);

(13:10/09:30) N Patterson (Baltinglass), J Stenson (The Island), A Allahbachani (Powerscourt);

(13:21/09:41) C Duane (Naas), M Green (Greenore), J McIlhatton (Massereene);

(13:32/09:52) R Galligan (Elm Park), R Nelson (Belvoir Park), G Sillett (Ballykisteen);

(13:43/10:03) C Ó’Muirithe (Belmullet), S Kavanagh (St Anne's), J Temple (Portmarnock);

(13:54/10:14) C Smyth (Slieve Russell), M Cadden (Roganstown), L McKeen (Co Louth