Enniscorthy’s Paul Conroy rides Chattanooga Express to the American dream

The Wexford man (24) took a big step towards getting his foot on the tour ladder last week when he came through the First Stage of the PGA Tour Q-School in Florida.

The former Munster Boys champion, who became a three-time winner with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga during his collegiate days, tied for 14th at the Country Club of Ocalaon Sunday night to clinch one of 23 places in the Second Stage in Alabama early next month.

He'll have to come through that test to earn status on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour and hopefully bid for one of five tickets to the PGA Tour in December's Final Stage at Sawgrass.

But having only concentrated on golf in his late teens, the slow-burning Wexford man is not in the least bit stressed about the challenge as he lives the American dream just three years after being overlooked for a place on the Home Internationals team.

"I suppose I improved significantly over the last four years," said Conroy, who learned the game at Enniscorthy thanks to the encouragement of his grandfather Dan, now 89, before playing most of his casual golf at nearby Bunclody Golf and Fishing Club, where he is coached by the Scottish professional Gary McLean.

"I loved it at college in Chattanooga, and when I got the five-year visa, I said I'd give it a couple years here and see how it goes."

Like many teenagers, Conroy spent his summers on the golf course, playing a tournament or two as he found his feet in the game.

He played Junior Cup and won a Barton Cup with Enniscorthy, but it was not until his under-17 year that he realised he might have a future in the game.

"I think it was a bit of a late bloomer," he said from his Tennessee base this week. "I started making a few runs in the boys' events, and then I won one, the Munster Boys in Waterford Castle in 2018. After that, I played interpros, and it just took off. I was playing a lot more."

He won the Leinster Under-21 Order of Merit in 2019 and in 2020, he signed up for Maynooth University's golf programme, playing alongside the likes of Caolan Rafferty before Covid struck and playing opportunities dwindled.

Believing he could play more competitive golf in the US, he left after six months and accepted an offer from the Chattanooga Mocs "It took me until I got to America to actually get back and feel good about the game again," said Conroy, who has nothing but good things to say about Maynooth.

He left Chattanooga with a degree in Sports Management and a golf game that was good enough to earn a Home Internationals call-up last year.

It was a late call for Conroy, who felt he might have been picked in 2021 when he reached the semis in the South at Lahinch, tied for 10th in the Close and came third in Mullingar.

Only last year, when he remained in the USA and played no domestic summer championships, did he get the call-up for the Home Internationals at Machynys Peninsula in Wales, where Ireland fell to England in the title match on the final day.

He was already a winner in the US at that stage and after graduating this year, he earned status on the third-tier PGA Tour Americas, making four of his eight cuts when he joined mid-season following his college commitments.

"I got through the First Stage of Q-School at the same course where I qualified for the PGA Tour Americas, so that helped," said Conroy, who saw his game bloom at college and whatever happens, he hopes to use his PGA Tour Q-School experience to build confidence for the future.

"They weren't very good when I first arrived," he joked. "We were probably the 140th ranked team in the country, and then we got a new coach, and after two years, we were playing national championship and a top 20 team."

Making it as a pro requires an all-around game, but Conroy puts his improvement down to his wedge play inside 150 yards.

"It's gotten a lot sharper, but I suppose that's just the reps," he said. "Getting so much competitive golf under your belt helps a lot, too.

"I made half my cuts when I eventually got on the Americas tour after college, and it was fine. It was just good to get playing, get the experience in and see how it's done."

Like Séamus Power, who learned his trade playing the third-tier e-Golf Tour, Conroy knows it's a case of making birdies to survive.

"I shot six under at two events and missed the cut! It's hard, but it's good for you in a way."

Like James Sugrue and Alex Maguire, he was two-under after two rounds at the First Stage of the DP World Tour Q-School in Austria in September, just two shots outside the qualifying places.

But the rest of the tournament was rained off, and the 36-hole result was declared final, meaning his PGA Tour Americas status was a godsend.

"That was brutal," said Conroy, who is looking forward to seeing what he can achieve with some backing from college benefactors and similar support from home, including honorary membership at Bunclody.

"I know I am playing a Robert Trent Jones course at Stage Two and I know there'll be good players there," he said. "There are good players everywhere now, but I will do my own thing and if my game is there, I can get through."

He's played golf with fellow Chattanooga graduate and local resident Stephen Jäger, who held off Scottie Scheffler and others to win the Houston Open in March, to know how his game compares.

"He said the only difference between the lads on the PGA Tour and the lads where I am is just a couple of good weeks," Conroy said. "As long as you keep getting better, it's always achievable."