From the Portumna Close Tree Escape to Turning Pro at the Irish Open (Thomas Higgins)

Touch of class, baby.

Touch of class.

Get up.

Well, that is pure magic.

Hello and welcome to A Touch of Class.

This is the podcast where we go for a wander and see what we find.

No scripts, just good stories, good people and the odd detour that usually ends up better than the plan.

I'm Will Griffith and around here we like to get a little bit lost because you never know what you're going to find.

Tonight, I'm joined by a player who has just lit up the golf world during an absolute whirlwind summer, Roscommon's Thomas Higgins.

Coming off a stellar NCAA career at Clemson University, Thomas spent 2026 absolutely dominating the elite amateur landscape.

It was a season defined by massive high-pressure moments from helping Ireland capture the home internationals to travelling to Estonia and holding the unforgettable tournament-winning putt to secure European team gold for his country.

He backed that international glory up on home soil, surviving a dramatic, deep-in-the-trees play-off escape at Portumna to be crowned the Irish amateur close champion.

He tracked that incredible peak, the fuel of missing out on a Walker Cup spot and his immediate, fearless transition into the professional ranks, from sinking electric eagle putts on his pro debut at the Amgen Irish Open to topping the leaderboard at Stage 1 of Q School in Bristol as he chases his tour card.

Tonight, we dive into that exceptional journey from the fairways of Roscommon to the high stakes pressure of the professional grind.

Before we dive in, do me a huge favour.

If you're listening on Spotify or Apple Podcasts right now, tap the stars and leave us a quick review.

And don't forget to hit follow on Instagram at ATOCpod to help the show grow.

Right, let's get lost.

Touch of class, baby.

Touch of class.

Get up.

Well, that is pure magic.

Hello and welcome to A Touch of Class.

This is the podcast where we go for a wander and see what we find.

No scripts, just good stories, good people and the odd detour that usually ends up better than the plan.

I'm Will Griffith and around here we like to get a little bit lost because you never know what you're going to find.

Tonight, I'm joined by a player who has just lit up the golf world during an absolute whirlwind summer, Roscommon's Thomas Higgins.

Coming off a stellar NCAA career at Clemson University, Thomas spent 2026 absolutely dominating the elite amateur landscape.

It was a season defined by massive high-pressure moments from helping Ireland capture the home internationals to travelling to Estonia and holding the unforgettable tournament-winning putt to secure European team gold for his country.

He backed that international glory up on home soil, surviving a dramatic, deep-in-the-trees play-off escape at Portumna to be crowned the Irish amateur close champion.

He tracked that incredible peak, the fuel of missing out on a Walker Cup spot and his immediate, fearless transition into the professional ranks, from sinking electric eagle putts on his pro debut at the Amgen Irish Open to topping the leaderboard at Stage 1 of Q School in Bristol as he chases his tour card.

Tonight, we dive into that exceptional journey from the fairways of Roscommon to the high stakes pressure of the professional grind.

Before we dive in, do me a huge favour.

If you're listening on Spotify or Apple Podcasts right now, tap the stars and leave us a quick review.

And don't forget to hit follow on Instagram at ATOCpod to help the show grow.

Right, let's get lost.