Irish golfer Max Kennedy is setting his sights on a breakthrough win at this week’s Irish Challenge, held at the prestigious Killeen Castle Golf Resort in County Meath just a 30-minute drive from his home.
The 23-year-old has made a strong impression in his debut season on the HotelPlanner Tour, already notching a runner-up finish and four additional top-20s. Currently ranked 26th on the Road to Mallorca, Kennedy remains firmly in contention for a coveted promotion to the DP World Tour, reserved for the top 20 players at season’s end in November.
With the added benefit of home support, Kennedy is optimistic about the opportunity to shine.
“There’ll be a good bit of support this week,” said Kennedy. “A few people from my home club are coming down, and that’s always a boost. Every time that’s happened before, I’ve played well. Hopefully, I can thrive off that again.”
Living nearby in Dublin, Kennedy will stay at home during the event — a convenience he believes might bring a little extra fortune.
“I obviously want to win. That’s my goal every week, and nothing changes this week.”
The setting, Killeen Castle’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, is expected to pose a stern test. Known as one of the longest and most demanding courses on the circuit this season, it will challenge even the most seasoned players.
“I’ve played here two or three times, and I might be biased, but it’s got to be the best course we play all year,” Kennedy said. “It’s really difficult — there’s not an easy hole. Even if you play well, you might only shoot two or three under.”
Despite narrowly missing out on his first tour win six weeks ago at Blot Play9, where he lost in a playoff to James Morrison, Kennedy took valuable confidence from the performance.
“That second-place finish proved to me that I can not only compete but win out here. My goal now is clear — to top the Road to Mallorca and earn promotion as Number One.”
Kennedy will also be vying for the Christy O’Connor Jnr Memorial Trophy, awarded to the top-finishing Irish player this week. The honor comes with a direct entry into the 2025 Amgen Irish Open at The K Club a powerful incentive on home soil.
Joining a star-studded field, Kennedy will face formidable competition from Road to Mallorca leader Joshua Berry, two-time DP World Tour winner Tom Lewis, and former Ryder Cup player Chris Wood.
The Irish Challenge tees off Thursday at 7:30 AM, with Kennedy paired alongside Denmark’s John Axelsen and Spain’s Alvaro Quiros, starting at 8:20 AM local time.
About the HotelPlanner Tour
The HotelPlanner Tour, formerly the Challenge Tour, had its first official season in 1989, and has developed into a proven training ground, where the champions-in-waiting compete across the globe for a place on the DP World Tour.
Many players who have progressed from the HotelPlanner Tour have gone on to become Major Champions – including Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick and Brooks Koepka – and Ryder Cup stars, such as Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Højgaard and Tyrrell Hatton.
Using its vast international schedule and relationships with golf federations and PGAs, the HotelPlanner Tour is widely accessible to professionals from across the globe, giving players from developing golfing nations the opportunity to test their skill amongst some of the most talented up and coming stars in world golf.
HotelPlanner, a leading travel technology company, has been the title partner of the HotelPlanner Tour since the start of the 2025 season.
About the European Tour group
The European Tour group administers the DP World Tour, the HotelPlanner Tour, the Legends Tour and the G4D Tour and, as the Managing Partner of Ryder Cup Europe LLP, stages golf’s greatest team contest, the Ryder Cup, in partnership with the PGA of America.
The European Tour group has Strategic Partnerships with the PGA TOUR, the Sunshine Tour, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association (CGA), the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), and the TATA Steel Professional Golf Tour of India. These partnerships provide global pathways for players from across the world to compete internationally on the DP World Tour, the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group which was established in 1972, as well as the HotelPlanner Tour.
