Dodd’s House party after play-off

THIRTY EIGHT year-old Stephen Dodd from Cardiff was crowned a worthy Nissan Irish Open champion at carton House last night.

But just about everybody’s heart went out to England’s David Howell, the loser in a play-off for the second successive week.

Howell was the first player to be involved in consecutive tournament play-offs since Trevor Immelman in 2003. So Howell, who showed nerves of steel in his Ryder Cup debut last September, succumbed once more when the serious questions were asked and can still look back to the 1999 Dubai Desert Classic for his only tournament win.

The consensus was that Carton’s first Irish Open was reasonably successful although the unfavourable May weather - there was a 90 minute delay yesterday because of lightning - proved a spoilsport.

Not surprisingly, the crowds were down with an overall total of 63,651 (21,342 yesterday) as against 88,000 in 2001 and 72,665 in 2004.

It was Howell’s third play-off failure whereas Dodd hadn’t previously such an experience. Yet it was his nerve that held as he hit two lovely shots on to the first play-off hole, the par five 18th, and two putted for his birdie while Howell was forced to accept his fate when his approach was pushed into thick rough and he could do no better than par.

It was Dodd’s second European win in his 174th European Tour event. He captured his first earlier this year in China and is only now realising the potential he displayed as an amateur when he helped Britain & Ireland to win the Walker Cup for the first time on American soil back in 1989. His prize of €330,330 is the biggest of his career and after Ian Woosnam he is the second Welsh winner of the title.

“Once I had won in China, I wanted to do it again”, said Dodd.

“I was about ten minutes from tee off time when we had the 90 minute delay. But I had been hitting it well on the range and I went out with a good attitude. In all, I felt like I conducted myself well out there.”

To his credit, Howell, one of the most likeable individuals on the European Tour took the latest disappointment with commendable equanimity as he revealed: “Last week, I was gutted at losing but this time I’m not. I wasn’t driving it well all day and I needed a really strong finish just to get in the play-off. I was proud of myself to play the last four in three under.

“It’s ironic that I hit one of my best drives in the play-off but I didn’t catch my three iron perfectly and had a pretty difficult lie for my third. Still, I put myself in a position to win two weeks running and I’m sure I will knock one off one day soon.”

The Irish drought in the championship continues. Padraig Harrington went into the final round six shots behind Nick Dougherty but as the young Englishman faded, he momentarily looked a threat when holing a spectacular thirty yard bunker shot for an eagle at the 13th to get to five under and three off the lead.

Harrington needed to maintain the momentum but instead went in the other direction - three putting the long 15th for a bogey six. He got back on track with a lovely tee shot to six feet at the 17th for a two and all but eagled the last when his putt from forty feet trickled inches past. He reckoned a tie for 5th - worth €71, 600, accurately represented the way he had performed given how little reward he met with on the greens.

“When I look back, I can’t believe I’m only three shots back. In the four rounds, I think I made three birdies in total off iron shots, everything else was chips and putts or wedge shots. I missed three two footers and had too many three putts, probably three or four, and I can’t give that to a field of this quality. So overall, I’m happy.”

His next opportunity comes at this week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, one of his least favourite venues at this time of year.

Darren Clarke began the final round on two under par having played with Harrington on Saturday. He, too, needed a big start but it was not forthcoming. He played the first eleven in strict par and eventually settled for a 72 to come 17th and win 27, 000. Although another disappointing challenge by one so talented, Clarke insists his game is in decent shape and also that he will be far more suited to the West course at Wentworth.

Nick Dougherty, 23 tomorrow, essentially saw his chance go when he double bogeyed the 8th. That saw his lead cut to one and he was never the same again. He tied for 3rd with Angel Cabrera with Harrington, Lee Westwood and the Nick O’Hern next best on six under. As Dougherty faded, it was Dodd and Howell who took up the challenge, the Welshman setting the target of nine under with an 18th hole birdie. Howell jumped out of the chasing pack when he unleashed a majestic three wood to a yard at the long 15th for an eagle and he duly drew level with Dodd at the 18th with a birdie of his own.

In the end, it just wasn’t enough.