After opening with a superb 70 on Thursday – one of just two bogey-free rounds – the 17-year-old Roganstown talent overcame a front-nine wobble and carded a one-over 72 to head into the weekend just four shots behind his hero on level par.
“He was someone I looked up to for a long time,” Keeling beamed. “I’m trying to beat him now.
“The way I played the last few days, I feel I could very easily be four or five shots better, so if I can play like that again, I will hopefully get a few breaks go my way and if I can hole a few putts, you never know what can happen.”
McIlroy admitted he was thrilled to see the Dubliner and his Holywood protegé Tom McKibbin make the weekend.
“Ah, it’s amazing,” McIlroy said. “Michael Bannon has spent some time with Sean as well. And I was hitting balls beside him the other day on the range.
“So it’s very cool. It makes me feel a bit old, and I’ve got the grey hairs in my chin to prove it.
“But it’s amazing to think that I’ve had some sort of influence on these guys that are now at the start of their professional journey.
Dubliner Seán Keeling makes his way down the 10th fairway during day two of the Amgen Irish Open Golf Championship 2024 at the Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, Down. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
“Seán’s not even professional yet, but, you know, the start of their journeys of trying to make a career in golf.
“I had my heroes that I looked up to, and it’s cool to hear that I’m that for some of those guys now.”
Starting on the back nine, Keeling birdied the par-five 12th and lipped out for another birdie at the 13th that would have left him tied fifth on three-under.
But after struggling for the remainder of the front nine, dropping three shots in five holes from the 14th, he played his homeward nine in one-under to ease into the weekend.
“Yes, a few mistakes on the front nine sort of put me under pressure going into the back nine, but I steadied the ship a bit and handled it well,” said Keeling, who bogeyed the 14th, 15th and 18th to turn in one-over before sandwiching a bogey at the second between birdies at the first and sixth.
“I made some key putts on six and seven, so overall, I was pretty good apart from those few mistakes on the front nine. It felt like it could have been a bit better, but happy enough to be playing the weekend.
“On the tough holes, I hit some solid shots into the middle of the green and made a lot of nice pars. I definitely handled the conditions well and played a lot of decent golf.”
At 17 years and 11 months, Keeling is the youngest player to make the cut in the Irish Open since Ronan Rafferty did it aged 16 years and seven months in 1980.
Tough conditions are forecast for round three, but Keeling believes he can resist the temptation to take on too much.
“I am going to enjoy those conditions, embrace it rather than get annoyed about it,” he said. “I am happy to be through and to have a chance at the weekend.”