Ashbourne’s Fintan Bonner helping young Scottish star chase Open glory
An Ashbourne man is playing a key role behind the scenes of one of golf’s brightest young talents, Connor Graham, as he prepares to take on the world at this year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush. Fintan Bonner, a seasoned golf coach, is guiding the 18-year-old Scottish prodigy, who has earned a spot in the prestigious tournament.
Bonner, originally from Ashbourne, County Meath, has built an exceptional career in golf since his early days across the road from his family home at Ashbourne Golf Club. A former member of Ashbourne Golf Club and worked with respected coach Shane O’Grady, Blackbush Golf Club, Bonner qualified as a PGA professional in 2012 and has been based at the world-renowned St Andrews Links Academy since 2014.
Now a Senior Instructor at St Andrews, Bonner also serves as Director of Golf at St Leonards School, one of the UK’s most respected academic and sporting institutions. There, he has developed a progressive coaching programme that nurtures young talent from grassroots level to elite international competition. Under his guidance, St Leonards’ pupils have clinched prestigious honours, including the SWIFTS Schools Tour UK Order of Merit (2024), the ISGA UK Finals (2025), and the Independent International Invitational (2025).
Bonner’s experience and credentials are unmatched. A Level 3 PGA-qualified instructor, he is certified in top technologies and techniques, including AimPoint, Trackman, Boditrak, K-Vest 3D, and NLP. He’s also a respected customisation specialist and Scottish Golf Development Coach, overseeing elite training programmes and supporting junior athletes on their path to national and international success.
It was at St Andrews where Bonner first spotted Graham’s potential. “He was just nine years old, but there was something special about him,” Bonner recalls. “Even at that age, he had the mindset, talent, and work ethic that set him apart.”
Now, several years later, that same young golfer is making headlines as one of the youngest competitors in The Open field. Bonner is right there alongside him – not just as a coach, but as caddie and mentor.
The County Meath man’s passion for coaching and player development has seen him work with golfers across the spectrum – from amateur talents to those competing in the Walker Cup, US Open, PGA Tour, and beyond. His fingerprints are on the success stories of many, but few are as personally fulfilling as Graham’s rise through the ranks.
As Connor Graham steps onto the fairways at Royal Portrush this week, Meath’s own Fintan Bonner will be walking stride-for-stride beside him – a proud coach, a guiding hand, and proof of how far a passion for golf can take you, from the greens of Ashbourne to the grandest stage of them all.