KILFENORA’s Jonathan Keane has become the first Clare winner of the South of Ireland Golf Championships in half a century.
Keane a proud member of Lahinch Golf Club is the first local winner of the South since JD Smyth in 1968. American Patrick Adler ended a fifty six year wait last year for a Lahinch member to win the coveted prize.
Smyth’s success of 1958 saw members of Lahinch Golf Club for four years in a row following the three in a row glory of Paddy Leyden in 1955, 1956 and 1957, he won his first title in 1953.
150 of the leading amateur golfers in Ireland teed off in Lahinch Golf Club on Wednesday morning with Jonathan making it all the way to the final on Sunday afternoon where he overcame 2018 champion Caolan Rafferty.
Once again, Rafferty was first into the clubhouse in the morning, and for the third match in a row he secured a 5&3 victory. This time he defeated Jake Whelan (Grange) to book his place in the final.
The bigger crowd was following Keane’s match and he bounced back from an early two-hole deficit to win 2&1 against Liam Abom (Edmondstown). Rafferty had all of the experience coming into the final but it was Keane who took the early advantage winning the third and fourth holes. They traded holes before the end of the front nine and Keane took a 2up lead into the turn.
The crowd continued to swell as the afternoon wore on and the tension grew in an enthralling contest.
Rafferty got one back on 11 but the Kilfenora man bounced right back on 12. When Rafferty won 15 and 16 it looked as though he would push on but Keane held his nerve on 17 to sink an eight-foot putt. His brilliance on 18 left him with six feet for the win and he duly obliged before massive celebrations. He struck a birdie on the final hole to claim the title. The duo were level heading into the final hole.
“Up Kilfenora” he shouted as he was lifted shoulder high following the success, among those him into the air was Lahinch’s very own Oisin Vaughan. A strong North Clare support had been behind Keane for the final with emotional scenes as he sank the winning putt.
Kilfenora’s Jonathan Keane, a member of Lahinch Golf Club (@LahinchGolfClub) becomes the first local South of Ireland winner since JD Smyth back in 1968. https://t.co/OrQ0wKY07V
— Páraic McMahon (@thepmanofficial) July 27, 2025
First held in 1985, the South is played for annually at the famed links course in North-West Clare.
Danny Lyne, John Dillon, Aaron McNulty and Stephen Loftus were fellow Lahinch Golf Club members to partake in the competition along with Eoin Magill of East Clare Golf Club.
Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke won the South in 1990 and 1991 respectively, Padraig Harrington tasted defeat on two occasions in the competition.
Jonathan Keane wins the 2025 south of Ireland championship a home hero in @LahinchGolfClub pic.twitter.com/ikFhPNgeJ0
— Irish Amateur golf info (@amateur_info) July 27, 2025
