Roscommon’s emerging golf star Thomas Higgins talks exclusively to Seamus Duke about turning professional, playing with Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington and Jon Rahm, his Irish Open experience, and what lies ahead next…
It’s been a whirlwind few months for Roscommon Town golfer, Thomas Higgins. In May, he completed a four-year term at Clemson University in the US. Having played with the Irish men’s team over the past year, he shared in their European Amateur Championship win in Estonia in July. Not only did Higgins play, he actually holed the winning putt on the final green to give Ireland a famous victory.
Then in August, Thomas went on to claim the AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship at Portumna in the most dramatic of circumstances, winning a play-off against Dylan Holmes. It was his first individual win in an amateur ‘major’.
Higgins has always been determined to turn professional. He has begun the fiercely competitive qualification process well, coming through the opening phase in Bristol in recent weeks. A further gruelling two phases now await in Spain in October.
He recently received an invitation to play in the Amgen Irish Open in Doonbeg, an experience he describes as “the best I have had on a golf course.”
During our chat last week, Thomas reflected on the exciting progress he has made over recent months and also outlined his future plans as he embarks on life in the pro ranks.
You spent four years at Clemson University. How did you feel on leaving this year?
It was a fantastic experience. I felt my game was improving all the time and I played some good golf towards the end. I finished second in West Virginia in one of the final competitions, and I was unlucky not to have won. I really enjoyed the last year in particular over there. We had a graduation ceremony after the final exams and the family were out for that so that was a great memory.
When you came home from America, you helped Ireland to win the European Championship, holing the winning putt. That must have been a big boost to your confidence?
Oh definitely. It is very satisfying to know that when it came down to it I was able to cope with the pressure. It was a great win, my last appearance for Ireland as an amateur.
The really big win for you was the Irish Close in Portumna. How important was that?
It was huge. I had plenty of team titles with Clemson, Connacht, the club here (Roscommon), and with Ireland, but the men’s individual titles had eluded me for years so to get over the line in Portumna was a fantastic win for me personally, and very satisfying. It was in the back of my mind over the past couple of years to try and win a major title so to be able to do it was great, and especially before I turned pro. I felt that week that I kept calm and played the right shots at the right time and it turned out great in the end.
After that win in the Close, it was looking good for you in terms of being picked for the Walker Cup. But it didn’t happen. Were you very disappointed?
I was very disappointed, but in the circumstances I couldn’t have done much more in terms of form. I was proud with the work I had done and the results I had. When Jack Whaley (from England) won the US Amateur Championship I knew that had lessened my chances of making the team.
You received an invite to the Amgen Irish Open, and subsequently played in the tournament. What was that experience like?
It was brilliant, to be honest. It was one of the best experiences I have had on a golf course. It was a major learning experience for me. To get to test yourself against a field of that quality was incredible.
We went down on the Sunday night and on the Monday I played nine holes with Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry, which was super… two great guys who were very approachable. I was just watching to see how they went about their business. It was a great experience, and we had a great chat going around.
Then on the Tuesday I played with Jon Rahm and Tom McKibbin. I know McKibbin from junior golf over the years so that was great too.
‘This is something I wanted to do from the age of 11 or 12. It’s kind of mad that it’s here now, but I am really looking forward to it’
Tell me about the actual competition itself…
The first thing I would say is that it was different than what I was used to. It was a brilliant experience to test myself in that environment. Overall, over the two days I played a lot of good golf. I was happy with how comfortable I felt in that kind of company. I wasn’t scared or intimidated and I was happy with how I did. But a couple of small mistakes cost me. I would have loved to have made the cut, but it was (still) a fantastic experience.
What is ahead of you in the short-term?
I’m trying to play a few events before qualifying school stage two which is in Spain at the end of October. I have six weeks until that comes around so I’d like to play a few events to stay sharp. There are not many events at this time of the year because a lot of the tours are finished at this stage. I will be working with my coach Mike Kennelly and the aim is to stay sharp.
What is the current state of play in relation to qualifying?
It’s not one hundred percent clear yet, but in stage two there are four courses in Spain and it will be something like the best 22 players and ties from each course to qualify for stage three. But that has yet to be finalised. There are four rounds in that competition. Stage three is six rounds, and the DP World Tour and Challenge Tour places are up for grabs. It’s a tough schedule, but it was never meant to be easy!
Joining the professional ranks costs a lot of money. How are you doing with regard to sponsorship?
I have a few generous sponsors, which is very welcome. Philip Martin from Cora Systems in Carrick-on-Shannon has come on board. A friend of mine in Chicago, Dean McCarron, has also helped out and I have another friend in the USA, Chuck Miller, who has also come in to help.
But I am not anywhere near what I would need to cover the costs of the next couple of years so I would chat to anyone who might be interested in that regard! I am working hard on that side of things over the past few months. The reality is that you cannot play this game professionally without that financial help, initially at least. So hopefully that will happen.
What will constitute success for you over the next few years?
In golf, the mental side of the game is huge. If you have the right mentality, it goes a long way. You need to be strong mentally for professional golf… and we are working on that all the time. But you need a bit of luck too. There are so many talented players out there… so if you get a break or two along the way it’s important as well.
This is something I wanted to do from the age of 11 or 12. It’s kind of mad that it’s here now, but I am really looking forward to it. I know it won’t be easy, but I intend to give it a really good go. I have huge support from my family – which is brilliant – and I am looking forward to the next few years.
