McGrane’s quest for Valderrama victory foiled
Kells man Damien McGrane came within a whisker of claiming his second European Tour win on Sunday, but his brave effort faltered over the final three holes in the Andalucian Masters at Valderrama. McGrane surrendered a one shot lead on the 16th hole which enabled Graeme McDowell to claim victory. While defeat was heartbreaking for the Meath man, he claimed his biggest pay cheque of the season for second place and a prize of €223,710. McGrane’s highest place finish of the season ensured he moved up to 32nd in the prestigious Race to Dubai for the second successive year, but it could have been so much better for the former Headfort player as he led by a shot from Ryder Cup hero McDowell with just three holes to play. However, a double bogey six on the tricky par four 16th dropped McGrane back to a shot behind the Portrush man. As it transpired McGrane needed to finish the last three holes one over par to lift the title, but he finished double bogey-bogey-bogey to finish one-over for the day and one-under total, just two shots behind McDowell. McGrane enjoyed a magnificent opening round 68 to put pressure on the top of the leaderboard. However a 73 on his second day was a setback and almost put him out of contention. In true resilient fashion McGrane recovered on day three with a 70, trailing McDowell and Gareth Maybin. Both McDowell and Maybin started the final day on six-under, but they lost strokes early on to open the way for McGrane, playing alongside Spanish Ryder Cup star Miguel Angel Jimenez, who started the last day on two-under and gradually chipped away to five-under to lead at the 16th. McGrane has enjoyed a consistent year on the European tour in 2010 earning €736,583, but that second win still eludes him. He came close in 2009 when he finished fourth at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters, tied third at the Madeira Islands Open and fourth at the KLM Open. McGrane topped the Irish Order of Merit three times prior to the second of his successful Qualifying School visits in 2003, and subsequently made steady progress in the next four seasons on The European Tour before taking his game to the next level with his victory in 2008.