Ahead of the Amateur Close Championship this week, Rory Leonard on how an aura was already building around the youngster after a ‘special’ win in Mayo
This weekend, Westport plays host to the Irish Amateur Close Championship where 20 years ago, Banbridge golfer Rory Leonard would watch a young Rory McIlroy light up the fairways on his way to the AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship.
McIlroy had already won the Ulster Boys’, Irish Boys’ and Irish Youth’s championships and the West of Ireland — but the title he would win in Westport was even more special.
The 16-year-old defeated Eddie McCormack in the final after wins over Connor Doran and Sean McTernan. Indeed, McTernan was another one of the talking points that week, following a record-breaking 61.
Rory Leonard in action during the Irish Mid-Am in Portsalon. Photo: Thos Caffrey/ Golffile
McIlroy only had one hole to spare over the Co Sligo golfer in the quarter-finals, the same narrow margin when McTernan defeated Banbridge hopeful, Rory Leonard, in the third round.
“Sean had shot a course record in the qualifying and he beat me on the last. Rory beat him in the quarter-finals by one hole after that,” said Leonard.
Leonard is a former Ulster teammate of McIlroy, who now works as championships manager with Golf Ireland.
And a few months previous to Westport, Leonard was in Co Sligo to witness the first part of a historic double as McIlroy got his hands on the West of Ireland.
The young protege, then just 15, completed the first leg before he finally matched Garth McGimpsey’s efforts from 1988 by adding the Amateur Close Championship.
Unfortunately for Leonard, he was on the receiving end when the duo faced off in the semi-finals at Rosses’ Point that year — only losing to McIlroy by one hole in a thriller.
“I played unbelievably well. I made seven birdies and he birdied the last to beat me.
“Even then everybody knew how good he was and where he was heading. It was unbelievable to see him playing at that level,” said Leonard.
“I had got to the semi-final and was playing really well. I played great and he beat me.
“I played him again in the West a couple of years later and I knew I wasn’t playing as well, I needed to keep the score down. He beat me comfortably that time. Tee to green, the way he hit the ball, it just made a different sound, it was so impressive. The crowds that came to see him play.
“Last year they had the Centenary event for the West and lots of people were talking about what they remember, seeing him and how he played.
“You got to the top of the hill in Sligo, on the fifth, where you look at the whole course below and immediately you could pick out where Rory was because you could spot the crowd. It was special. I remember playing him in that semi-final and thinking this is crazy, the amount of people that are there to see him.
“How good he was, there was so much hype and coverage, even back then.
“That was the start, he won the West and went on to win the Close in Westport a few weeks later. Then he won them both again the following year. It was crazy how good he was and the profile he had.”
Rory Leonard working at the recent Boys’ & Girls’ Home Internationals in Cork Golf Club. Photo: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Leonard had his own prolific career at amateur level, 2010 was the highlight when he took home the Munster Stroke Play and West of Ireland crowns.
That win in the final at Rosses’ Point also came at the expense of McCormack, who later remarked that he was sick of losing to Rorys in championship finals.
Leonard also reached the decider at the AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship in 2010, losing out to Castle’s Dara Lernihan.
His life is steeped in golf and he has the sport to thank for some of his closest friendships, having played for the first time alongside Barry Tumilty, and his two brothers Lee and Mark. The former would go on to be Leonard’s best man at his wedding.
Leonard hails from Banbridge, where he grew up on the opposite side of the town to the golf course. His grandfather, Philip Leonard, was a keen golfer and introduced him to the game. He joined Banbridge when he was nine and continued to play alongside the Tumilty brothers for years to come.
Lee and Mark Tumilty went on to play international hockey, while Barry was a semi-professional footballer in the Irish League. Mark is now head coach of the Irish men’s hockey team.
However, golf was always the main sport for Leonard, and he would come up against Gerry McIlroy, father of Rory.
Between the Senior Cup and Belfast & District Cup, Banbridge and Holywood were regularly in opposition.
And there was one standout memory from the final of the Belfast & District Cup in 2001.
“We went on to win and it was our club’s first time doing that. I was the captain of the team and Rory was about 10 or 11, he caddied for Gerry in the final,” said Leonard.
“I beat Gerry on the 17th and nothing would do Rory only that he got to hit a shot down the last himself. Even then people were talking about him, he had won Underage World Championships.
“He hit a shot down the 18th with his dad’s driver, that was the same size as him, and I was just going this is unbelievable, how good this guy is and how many people are talking about him.”
Rory Leonard with his wife Mairead and two sons Daniel and Matthew at The Open in Royal Portrush
McIlroy would join Leonard on the Ulster men’s teams from 2004, there the future Masters champion formed a wonderful partnership with Jonathan Caldwell that would extend to a Walker Cup team.
And while he watched his progression through the ranks and onto the Tour, Leonard also got the opportunity to play with and against some of the other stars of Irish professional golf.
During the same tournament in Westport in 2005, Leonard defeated a young Seamus Power on the final hole in the first round.
“I didn’t know Seamus then and he was very young, probably still a boy in terms of golf, and beating him, it was more looking back now and saying once upon a time I beat this guy who has won a few Tour events,” said Leonard.
“But back then he was really good, one of the up and coming young players.”
For Leonard, despite all of his success, the elusive national championship still gnaws away, but he turns 50 next year and will then set his sights on the seniors game and potentially taking home that silverware at last.
“The Close is our national championship, the Irish Amateur Open is a big event too but obviously it includes overseas players too,” said Leonard.
“The winner this week (in the Irish Amateur Close Championship) is the Irish Champion. In all of the golf that I have played from when I was a kid until now, I won a championship or an event in every province but I never won a national event.
“I lost in that final, I was runner-up in the Irish Boys’, I won the Irish Universities but that is slightly different.
“I haven’t played any this year because of different things with family and work, this year could be the first year I haven’t played in either a GUI or Golf Ireland Championship since I was about 17.
“It’s just the way it fits in. But I have a big birthday next year and then that’s the chance to play a bit more competitive golf.”.
