Where are they Now - E. O'Connell

GB& Ireland Team 1988 Eisenhower Trophy, Sweden

Eoghan O'Connell became Irish Boys champion in 1984 and went on to gain a crucial win over Peter McEvoy when Ireland beat England to capture the European Amateur Team Championship in Austria three years later. He followed this with two successive 65s at North Berwick to lead a professional field in final qualifying for the Open Championship at Muirfield. 

In 1988, he was in the victorious British and Irish Eisenhower Trophy team in Sweden and a year later was a runner-up in the North and South Championship at Pinehurst, before gaining a memorable halved singles in the 1989 Walker Cup at Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta against up-and-coming left-hander called Phil Mickelson. 

After his successful amateur career Eoghan turned professional in 1990, but his time in the pro ranks did not fulfil the promise of his earlier years and O'Connell quit at the end of the European Tour season in 1996 and moved to Florida with his American-born wife. 

Having regained amateur status, he had successful surgery on the sinews and tendons of the left wrist in 2002 and resumed his golfing career as of 2004 and still lives in Florida. 

O'Connell attended Wake Forest University, where he gained a communications degree on a Lanny Wadkins Scholarship from 1986 to 1990. He was Second Team All American at Wake Forest in 1988 and All ACC for three years. 

As a member of the winning Walker Cup team in 1989 he was undefeated in four matches. 

Fact file 

DOB: March 26th 1988 

Place of Birth: Cork 

Residence: Florida 

Turned Pro: 1990