McGrane, Maybin rue what might have been

IRISH golfers have known their fair share of success over the years in the south of Spain and specifically at Valderrama where Ronan Rafferty and Paul McGinley have both captured the season-ending Volvo Masters.

Padraig Harrington won the same event in 2002 when it was held further down the coast at Montecastillo in an exciting finish over Paul McGinley.

There was something of a reprise of that Irish domination yesterday when Graeme McDowell, the winner of the inaugural event, was chased all the way home by compatriots Damien McGrane and Gareth Maybin. McDowell prevailed by a single shot after a 74 for a three under par total of 281, its own graphic reflection of the highly testing conditions that prevailed over the weekend and the innate difficulty of the golf course.

McGrane actually led by a shot at five under when he holed a thirty-foot bunker shot at the 15th but he then ran into serious trouble at each of the closing three holes. However, he redeemed himself in a big way by sinking a twelve-foot bogey putt that saw him round in an admirable 72 for a one under score that earned him a cheque for €223,700. The putt on the last was worth a massive €96,000 as a double bogey would have pushed him back into a tie for 4th with three other golfers. McGrane is now up to 53rd in the Race to Dubai order of merit with €709,640 to his name.

“I had plenty of good fortune out there and to hand it all away at the end was very disappointing,” the 39-year-old Meath man conceded. “I didn’t hit any bad shots, I just got flyers when I didn’t need them. I holed a decent putt on the last to give myself some satisfaction, but that’s Valderrama for you - when it bites, it bites hard. I hit a decent shot on 16, but hit a tree and ended up making double. The 17th was playing tough and I made a simple six. At the last, I struggled for five but was happy enough because I had to chip one shot through the bushes.”

He described the holed bunker shot at 15 as “straightforward” and declared himself pleased with the fact the weather was rough.

“It was a real grinding day, but that’s my forte,” he went on. “I felt it could potentially go in my favour. The bogey at the last was a good one, I was just trying to finish as high as I could and it was a case of limiting the damage. I came here to procure my position for the Race to Dubai, so I have to take some positives out of it.”

Many people were baffled at how McGrane received a free drop at the 16th after losing his ball way to the left of the green. “I got a flyer,” he explained. “It flew thirty yards past the green, hit the scoreboard and ricocheted left across bushes. I got a free drop because I was a on cart path with all kinds of debris around it.”

The manner in which Gareth Maybin hung in there over two long days playing with the US Open champion Graeme McDowell was wholly admirable and he was well rewarded with the biggest cheque of his professional career, having previously earned €115,000 for 2nd place in the 2009 South African Open. He got round in 76 and like McGrane, he had his chances. In the end, his compatriot was just a fraction too steady when it counted most. Maybin is now 36th in the order of merit with €709,640.

The 30 year-old from Ballyclare dunked his third shot to the 17th into the lake fronting the green, only to prove his mettle by salvaging a bogey with a fine pitch and nine-foot putt. Nor was another dropped shot at the 18th, arguably the quirkiest hole on the course, any disgrace.

“I came here to cement my Race to Dubai spot and I’ve done that,” Maybin said. “I’m disappointed at my finish, but it was a tough day and that’s going to happen out there. This one is prestigious, but a tournament is a tournament and I’m getting closer.

“It was a pleasure to play such a good course. It was good fun and I felt I was still well in there with two to play. Going in the water at 17 didn’t do me any favours but I had a terrible lie and that’s just part of the game. I’ve got to learn from that and get stronger. To go head to head with Graeme (McDowell) and play every bit was very encouraging. You do as well as you can on a course as tough as this and it was great to come down the stretch with the US Open champion.”

It certainly is some achievement for Ireland to produce the winner and joint runners-up in this tournament and it was also a good week for Shane Lowry. He battled well to get round in 75 for a share of 18th, a finish that still leaves him one spot outside the top 60 who qualify for the season-ending Race to Dubai. He managed only one birdie though, at the long 11th, and was also left to rue three bogeys in his last six holes.

Darren Clarke was another doing quite well until he ran up a triple bogey 8 at the 17th. He shot 75 for eight over and a tie for 26th. Michael Hoey was 35th after a 75 for ten over and Peter Lawrie signed for a 77, 13 over and a 47th place.