11/14/2014

Profile - Michael McGeady

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Michael McGeady began playing golf at the age of twelve as a member of the City of Derry club and quickly progressed in the game. He became a member of the Ireland set up and represented the Ireland Boys team from 1996, graduating to the Senior Team during the 2003 season. 

He was also a member of that years winning Home International team and in 2004 earned a place on the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup panel. The runner up in the 2004 Irish Close, he captured the Dundalk Scratch Cup in 2005 and was again a member of the Ireland team for the Home Internationals and European Team Championships.

In late 2005 Michael made the decision to turn professional and began playing on the European Challenge Tour and PGA Europro Tour. In just his fourth event on the Challenge Tour, the 2006 Challenge of Ireland in Killarney, Michael finished in second position, missing out on taking the last round to a playoff by just one shot.

This result, combined with a top 20 finish in the Open des Volcans ensured that Michael received a category on the Challenge Tour for the 2007 season.

A disappointing 2007 was soon followed by his best season to date when in 2008 Michael secured his first Challenge Tour victory at the SWALEC Wales Challenge, following a play-off with overnight leader Joel Sjoholm of Sweden.

McGeady finished 42nd in the 2008 Order of Merit and gained entry into the Final Stage of Tour School. Agonisingly for Michael, he bogeyed the final hole to finish only one stroke outside the top-30, and with that the glory of full European Tour status in 2009.

Michael competed on the Challenge Tour in 2009 and finished 53rd at the Challenge of Ireland presented by Movalley, missing the cut at the 3 Irish Open in Baltray and progressing only to Stage 2 at European Tour Qualifying School at Sherry Golf in Jerez, Spain.

That season Michael played in five events missing the only cut at the ECCO Tour Championship in Germany finishing 121st in the Challenge Tour rankings At Stage 1 of Q School at The London Club he fished in third place to qualify.

2011 was a season of missed cuts in all the four tournaments entered and a trip to  Q School at Ribegofle which left him 31st and outside the reckoning for another year.

In 2013 the Donegal-based McGeady golfer played in only his second Challenge Tour event of the year at Galgorm Castle after having lost lost his card for the second-tier European circuit at the end of the 2011 season. In the end he finished 34th at the Northern Ireland Challenge  presented by Clannah and XJet


A month later at the Cassidy Golf 103rd PGA Irish Championship at Roganstown McGeady won the title in a close finish with Damian Mooney and Cian McNamara.

McGeady posted rounds of 66, 72, 70 and 67 for a nine-under-par winning 275, one stroke ahead of Mooney and McNamara, after the leadership changed hands a few times during the day.

An attempt a few days later to win a Challenge Tour card at the PGA European Championship at Sandwich fell short when he finished T7.

Career Highlights
2008 Winner SWALEC Wales Challenge (European Challenge Tour)
2006 2nd Place Challenge of Ireland (European Challenge Tour)
2005 Ireland Senior Team Member
2005 Winner Dundalk Scratch Cup
2004 Member of Walker Cup panel
2004 Runner up in Irish Close 
2003 Member of the Winning Irish Home International team
2013 PGA Irish Chapionship

Fact file
Date of Birth: May 11th 1978 
Attachment: McCambridge Duffy - www.mccambridgeduffy.co.uk
Residence: Donegal, Ireland 
Turned Professional: 2005 
Qualifying School: (2005), (06), 07, 08, (09), (10), (11), (12) (14)
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