Robin Dawson: Q&A

Robin Dawson claimed a career-best finish when he secured a tie for 27th position at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open earlier this month and here he reflects on that week in Lahinch, discusses his love of horses and reveals his goals for the rest of the year.

Robin, just reflect on the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, what was that experience like for you?

It was a great experience and a week I wanted to last a lot longer than seven days, but it was great. I know Lahinch so I was excited to get a start there from Team Ireland and I had my good friend Peter O’Keefe on the bag that week so it was good fun with him. I know the area and I know the golf course like the back of my hand which helped as well. I was really excited to get a start there and was very happy to take advantage of that as well.

What was it like to play in front of the Irish crowds in Lahinch?

It was great. It was nice to have my family and friends there for Saturday and Sunday, but the crowds were great. I think my game thrives off that, playing in front of those crowds, so it was really good.

How would you assess your first season on the Challenge Tour?

Disappointing. Frustrating. There have been one or two decent results in there, but I don’t feel my game has been reflected in the results. It’s a game of patience and I’ve just got to tick away. We’re about halfway through the season now so hopefully it will be a bit better in the second half. Out here, one week can make a big difference on the Challenge Tour. It’s just a case of keep myself ticking away and keep with it.

Do you think that week in Lahinch could kickstart your season?

It’s very hard to say. A lot of things in Lahinch went my way with knowing the course and stuff like that. It’s been a lot of new experiences on the Challenge Tour this season with a lot of new countries and golf courses so there has been a lot of learning involved for me this year, especially in my first year as a pro.

What are the main differences between the amateur game and professional golf?

I think self-management and time are the two biggest ones. For me, you get to understand a lot about yourself as well. The Golfing Union of Ireland have been great and even my university have been great for me in the development of my amateur career but now that I’m professional I’m out here doing my own thing, so you’ve got to learn quick.

How have you found life off the course while travelling around Europe?

I’m lucky in the sense that there are a lot of Irish guys on the Challenge Tour. Off the course can be a lot of fun – you don’t have a babysitter with you each week so it can be quite fun in that sense. Even though I missed the cut last week, myself and Paul McBride got to go to Longchamp for the races on one day in Paris, so that was a lot of fun. You get new experiences and it’s good fun like that, so I just try and enjoy it as much as I can off the course.

Talking of the races, you have quite a keen interest in horses, don’t you?

Yeah, big time! I studied Equine Business at University which was a three-year course on the equine industry and it gave me an insight into the industry and the management of a stud farm, including the accounts. It covered a broad range of subjects and gave me an insight into what the equine industry is like in Ireland.

Horse racing is obviously huge in Ireland, is that something you were brought up around?

I’ve been going to the races and to point-to-points since I was a youngster really. My dad has a big interest in it, so I suppose I got it from him and my uncles are the same. My dad was involved in a couple of syndicates so I’ve been brought up with the races being on TV and stuff like that. I’ve been brought up around it to a certain degree; we don’t have horses around the house, but it’s definitely been a big thing growing up.

Looking at this week, it’s a very hilly course so how will you deal with those inclines and the different layout to most weeks?

I played a practice round yesterday and decided to take a rest today but the golf course is very nice. It’s a great layout, in great condition. It’s a long, long walk between the greens and tees so I think it’s going to be a survival of the fittest! It’s a little bit demanding off the tee but there are a lot of opportunities if you do hit it well. It’s a great golf course, great layout and I’m looking forward to playing this week.

What are your goals for the rest of the season?

The main one is to lock up the top 70. I’m a little bit outside that mark at the moment so to get that locked up and to give myself a chance going into the events in China would be huge. One event can change everything and my main goals are just to keep improving best I can. The results will look after themselves so just improving myself as a player is the main goal.