It has to be confusing when two Irish surnames are pronounced the same but spelt differently.

However the message is clear when Irish amateur Dermot McElroy was asked what inspiration he drew from fellow Irishman and double Major winning Rory McIlroy.

Dermot McElroy and his surname not to be mistaken for Rory McIlroy. (Photo – Thos Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

“Rory has given us the belief that we can do well in professional golf too,” said McElroy in a preview article for India’s Hindu newspaper ahead of this week’s Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy.

McElroy, who was named ‘Player of the Tournament’ at the 2013 Home Internationals will be joined by fellow Irishman Gavin Moynihan who competed in the 2013 Walker Cup and was Captain for the 2012 Jacques Léglise Trophy while he also captured the 2012 Irish Amateur Championship and placed second in 2013.

The Irish duo represent Europe in the event commencing Wednesday at the Karnataka Golf Association golf course, Bangalore, India.

“Since Rory and Greame McDowell (the 2010 U.S. Open champion) emerged, golf in Ireland has become ten times more popular,” said the 20-year old Moynihan in the same article.

“Dermot and I have risen through the golf programmes as Rory; we play in the same club that he does. We played in the Irish Open and the Junior Ryder Cup as amateurs, and Rory was in the field too. We are aware that he competed in the Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy as an amateur as well.

“When we played together, Rory had a chat with us, and it was nice to notice the little things he does at practice and during his rounds,” Moynihan says, and adds: “His rise has certainly given us a lot of hope.”

While the youngsters feel that there are not yet qualified to identify the qualities that make Rory special, there is one unique trait that is hard to miss.

“Back in Ireland, the name ‘McElroy’, with an ‘e’, is quite common. There aren’t many McIlroy’s around,” says the golfer with the more prevalent surname.