Needy Irish desperate to pick up one last present

THE sight of Santa Claus at a golf tournament is very timely for the six Irish contesting this week’s season penultimate UBS Hong Kong Open.

The ‘Operation Santa Claus’ promotion, conducted each year during Wednesday’s pro-am, is in aid of Hong Kong charities.

Players got into the spirit of the occasion with defending champion Ian Poulter sitting on Santa’s knee and former winner Miguel Angel Jimenez playing a shot at the par-three 15th donning Santa’s cap.

But high on Rory McIlroy’s list of Christmas wishes is to deny Luke Donald the leading money title on both sides of the Atlantic. Pádraig Harrington’s hope is to join McIlroy in next week’s Dubai World Championship as he tees up seven places behind fellow Dubliner Peter Lawrie, who holds down 60th position in Race to Dubai.

Double Race to Dubai winner Michael Hoey is striving to put himself inside the top 15 on the money list to ensure he adds the 2012 US Open to the British Open on his schedule.

Further down the rankings lies Damien McGrane in 114th place and needing to make the Hong Kong halfway cut to retain full 2012 Tour membership. The plight of Ballyclare’s Gareth Maybin is a little more complicated as he is 120th and staring at forfeiting Tour membership if outside the top-115 on Sunday night.

However, three players will come off the money list, Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson (36th), England’s Tom Lewis (63rd) and American Ryan Moore (eighth) as they will not complete the mandatory 13 events to retain membership.

McGrane finds himself in what he describes as a “strange situation” ahead of the weekend.

“I hope I’m safe but it’s a strange situation at the end of the season as the Hong Kong Open is a limited field and a lot of guys are struggling to get a game and need to play, so I’m lucky enough that I am here and teeing up,” he said.

“I also am lucky enough that I am just inside the ‘bubble’.

“But then I do have a little bit of good fortune on my side and a little bit of leeway with the Tour sending all of us an email to say that three players will come off the Race to Dubai. So that means I’ve effectively picked up three places.

“But this year I found myself just struggling while my short game has been poor. I felt I’ve done nothing different or nothing wrong this year. My career has been pretty consistent and apart from one year since 2003, [2007], I’ve finished each season inside the top 60.”

McGrane, who arrived in Hong Kong after spending a week relaxing in Bali, has contested 32 events this year earning €258,938 — more than €500,000 less than last year.

“All year my scorecard has added up to very average and I’ve hardly had a good tournament this season when I’ve done well start to finish. It has been a very frustrating year. I haven’t lost my patience or my temper but I have been tested to the limits on the golf course.

“I shouldn’t be in the position I am in. It’s so frustrating, disappointing and all those things and it does make you realise the glory of having a Tour card and having so many glorious opportunities. But that’s where I’m at and where I am fortunate this week is there is a lot of guys behind me on the money list who don’t have a start this week.”