Rory McIlroy has some timely advice for Ireland’s newest European Tour member in Kevin Phelan.
The 23-year old Phelan successfully negotiated his way into the 2014 Race to Dubai in birding the last hole after six gruelling rounds to finish 17th among the leading 25 qualifiers at last week’s European Tour Q-School in Spain.
The Ballygunner golfer turned pro soon after this year’s Walker Cup and made his pro debut in September at the KLM Open in Holland.
Kevin Phelan becomes the newest Irish-born golfer to compete on the European Tour. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)
However since he was about 13 years of age Phelan has grown up in Florida and this has led to spending time with McIlroy at the exclusive Bear’s Club in Florida.
“I’m delighted Kevin’s got his European Tour card and it’s just great he’ll be out here on the Tour,” said McIlroy.
“I’ve played with him a bit of late at the Bear’s Club.
“He did really well at the Walker Cup and we saw what he did at the US Open this year making the cut.”
And McIlroy, who returned to his Florida mansion after finishing fifth in last Sunday’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, has some timely advice for the Ireland’s newest Tour member.
“My best advice to him would be to just go out and play,” said McIlroy.
“I was never one to go out there seeking advice even though it may have been offered to me.
“I guess you just have to figure these things out for yourself, and figure out what best works for you.
“Kevin has a completely different game to me. He plays much like Francesco Molinari in that he’s not the longest but it’s mostly down the middle while his short game is very good.
“The big aspect of playing out here on the tour is to play to your strengths and making sure you don’t neglect them by trying to bring your weaknesses up to the same level.
“So if I was to offer him any advice and that would be to concentrate on strengths as that is what got you here in the first place, and gradually bit by bit try and get the rest of your game to that level.”
And equally delighted Phelan secured his Tour card was McIlroy’s fellow US Open winner and good friend, Graeme McDowell.
“It’s brilliant Kevin got his Tour card, just brilliant,” said McDowell.
“The manner also in attaining his card by birding two of the last three holes was great and well done to him.
“It is just hard for the fellows teeing up in the Qualifying School, and it would be an interesting experiment, not that it is ever going to happen, but how many of those in the top-50 in the world would get through PQ1? I would be surprised if there is more than 10 to 15%.
“It is just a lottery as good players don’t get through. I just thank my lucky stars I just didn’t have to go through that.”
And when McDowell was also what advice he could afford Phelan he remarked: “My best advice would be not to change anything and to stick with what he’s got for next season, and to believe he’s got the game to come out here and play well.
“It is harder to get out here than it is to stay out here. The big mistakes come when guys try to change themselves because now they are on the big stage, and they think they have to up their game to play on the big stage.
“So it should be slowly, slowly in trying to catch the monkey out here. If you are good enough to be here, you are good enough to compete out here and just don’t go changing too much.”
MEANTIME –
McDowell was delighted to finally reach Melbourne, Australia on Monday night local time ahead of this week’s World Cup of Golf.
His Etihad Airlines flight out of Abu Dhabi was delayed more than two hours in the UAE capital due to the late arrival of the Airbus A340 – 600 and also due to pressure in securing time slots while flying over Oman.
McDowell’s flight, also carrying Peter Hanson, Nicolas Colsaerts, Thorbjorn Olesen, Matteo Manassero and Thomas Bjorn finally arrived a 9.10pm local time after a journey of some 15 hours duration.
