James Sugrue returns home to Mallow still undecided when he will turn professional in posting rounds of 78 and 79 for a 17-over par tally at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

Sugrue, 23 failed to record a birdie on day one but then grabbed three of day two including landing a 141-yard second shot into just four-feet and then rolled in the birdie ‘3’ putt at his final hole.

Unfortunately, it was an eventful outward nine of two birdies, at the seventh and ninth holes, but also included a pair of bogeys and also two triple-bogey ‘7s’ at the first and eighth holes that stung last year’s Portmarnock winner.

“I just did not play well and even kind of leading up to this, I wasn’t playing my best,” Sugrue admitted.

“I was here ten days before the tournament started, and I just wasn’t really firing.

Mallow’s James Sugrue retuning home from the US still undecided when to turn pro

“Once out here, it was like there’s very little managing for error. Off the tee, which would usually be my strongest point, I just didn’t really know where the ball was going.

“So, yeah, it’s always going to be tough, especially out here with rough like that and narrow fairways. When you don’t know where the ball is going, it’s going to be an uphill battle.”’

Sugrue had waited for some 15 months for this week having missed out in April in contesting the Master that was rescheduled for the second week of November later this year.

It is expected, and with the COVID-19 virus having also decimated top amateur golf in 2020, he will wait until the New Year before making any decision to join the play-for-pay ranks.

“No, I’m still not sure but if you had asked me that a year ago, I would be pro by now,” he said.

“With the coronavirus, nobody really knows what’s happening and what’s around the corner and stuff. Even in Ireland the cases are going up day by day. I think Dublin is on some sort of lockdown at the minute, I’m not too sure, but that’s what I’m hearing anyway.

“So, I suppose in the future, it’s hard to say.”

What is disappointing is that Sugrue has been overlooked in being afforded an invitation into Thursday’s starting Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Galgorm Castle.

The lone amateur to be handed an invitation is Kilkenny’s Mark Power who lost out in the semi-finals in last month’s hosting of the 2020 (British) Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale.

And it was U.S. Open playing partner, Lee Westwood who quizzed Sugrue if he was teeing-up at Galgorm.

“Yeah, Lee said I should be receiving an invitation though I’ve never played the Irish Open,” said Sugrue.

“Last year it was at Lahinch, which would be pretty close to my house and one of my favourite courses, and I couldn’t play because, A, I think it was a Rolex event last year, and also because we had European Team championships, so I couldn’t play.

“So, yeah, I would love to — it would be great to get a start in the Irish Open. That would be brilliant. I would definitely take up on that offer if it was possible.”