Kehoe hatches survival plan

Justin Kehoe epitomises this sporting life: that, if you chase your dream, anything is possible. On Sunday, when he registered here at Carnoustie, the first player he saw was Tiger Woods, finishing out on the 18th green. Yesterday, there was yet more self-inflicted pinching that this was all real, as he shared a practice range with John Daly and Vijay Singh. At times he had to stop himself star-gazing.

For Kehoe, ranked 1,358th in the world, this is a massive leap.

"It's unbelievable, and I mean unbelievable," said Kehoe, a 27-year-old from Birr, Co Offaly, who has endured a tough time in his near-four years as a professional, with just over €10,000 in winnings, but who secured his place among golf's elite by negotiating two phases of qualifying.

This is a different world from the mini-tours that have been Kehoe's staple diet and, fortunately for him, he has landed an experienced caddie to help him make the transition.

Brendan McCartain, an Englishman of Irish parentage, caddied for Jose Maria Olazabal when he won the 1999 US Masters. "I'll use Brendan as a crutch. He knows the ropes, and will help me keep my feet on the ground," said Kehoe.

He also believes life as a young professional struggling to find his niche has toughened him. He points to how Ian Woosnam and Tom Lehman struggled early on to survive on tour, and also to how Justin Rose overcame adversity. "I can take inspiration from anywhere and Justin's is an incredible story of extreme failure at the start of his career to great success.

"It is stories like that that inspire me . . . for someone like that to keep coming back is a testament to his character."

Kehoe, who has never even played in a European Tour event, is aiming to take it in his stride.

"I'm just going to come up with a game plan of the course that suits my strengths. If you're pushed in at the deep end, especially someone like me, you must have a plan, stick to it and get yourself around the course in as few shots as possible."