Collection of articles from The Irish Echo

The USA's most widely read Irish American Newspaper

(c) 2005 Irish Echo Newspaper Corp

EUROPEAN TOUR - Linde German Masters

An Irish challenge never materialized in the Linde German Masters at Gut Larchenhof in Cologne, as Graeme McDowell and Damien McGrane were left to soldier on over the weekend in minor roles. McDowell settled in for a share of 40th place at 7-under-par 281 (71-70-70-70), with McGrane a stroke behind at 282 (71-70-70-71) in 42nd position. Retief Goosen added to his trophy collection after shooting the low number of 268.

Bidding early goodbyes by failing to shoot 142 or lower for 36 holes were Gary Murphy, 144 (70-74), Padraig Harrington, 144 (75-69), and Peter Lawrie, 146 (74-72).

EUROPEAN TOUR - Omega Masters

Damien McGrane grabbed a piece of 15th place in the Omega Masters at Crans Montana in Switzerland. At 278 (68-71-74-65), he was six strokes under par and eight off Sergio Garcia's winning number.

McGrane had a Jekyll and Hyde sort of round on Saturday. He went out in 33, thanks to two eagles, but then came home in 41, with bogeys at 11, 12, 13 and 16, along with a double bogey at 15. Sunday saw a return to form, with six birdies and no blemishes on his card.

Peter Lawrie finished joint 23rd at 280 (68-69-75-68). Gary Murphy, 144 (72-72), missed the cut by a stroke. Joining him on the sidelines were Stephen Browne, 145 (71-74), Philip Walton, 154 (79-75), and Shaun Stapleton, 156 (77-79).

EUROPEAN TOUR - Scandinavian Masters

Damien McGrane continues to hint that a victory may be soon in coming. He was in with a chance at the end of three rounds in the Scandinavian Masters at Kungsangen Golf Club in Sweden. Beginning at the third hole on Saturday, he chipped six strokes off par through the eighth en route to 64 for the day, standing him in fifth place, three strokes off the lead.

But a bogey at the first on Sunday offered a clue that this would not be the day on which McGrane broke his maiden. The birdies were slow in coming (only three for the round), while he was saddled with bogeys at 10, 12 and 13. A share of 11th place at 14-under-par 270 (68-66-64-72) is where he finished, eight strokes behind Mark Hensby and Henrik Stenson, who went to a playoff, where Hensby prevailed.

Peter Lawrie produced a worthwhile effort, getting into 25th position at 273 (67-70-69-67). Gary Murphy's name graced the bottom of the leaderboard in the 76th spot at 287 (68-70-77-72). Stephen Browne, at 149 (73-76), missed the cut by 11 strokes. Philip Walton, after opening with 76, withdrew from competition.

This article was written in the issue of August 3 - 9, 2005

"I struggled with my game for most of the week," said Clarke at the tournament's end. "But I went to the range [Saturday] night and figured out a couple of things. Today, I was swinging the club properly and drove the ball really well."

Gary Murphy and Damien McGrane shot mirror rounds of 72 and 70 to miss the cut by two strokes. Also getting the axe were Peter Lawrie, 148 (75-73), Rory McIlroy, 150 (74-76), and Brian McElhinney, 154 (79-75).

Clarke, Lawrie and McElhinney all remain in Scotland for this week's Open at St. Andrews Old Course. They will be joined by Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Paul McGinley.

This article was written in the issue of July 13 - 19, 2005

EUROPEAN TOUR

The River Liffey turned out to be the star at the Smurfit European Open. Water came into play in the most bizarre fashion late on Sunday at the K Club, washing the names of Thomas Bjorn (the Dane hit three into water on the 17th) and Raphael Jacquelin off the leaderboard, leaving England's unfancied Kenneth Ferrie to claim the trophy.

Bjorn, who withdrew from this event after just six holes last year, complaining about needing to tend to his "inner demons," appeared to have those critters nicely under control.

He started Sunday with a four-stroke lead, but that dissipated with a bogey at 16, brought about when his ball rolled into the water bordering the green. He then stole the script from Tin Cup at 17, sending three balls into the Liffey to score 11 there. His lead now a memory, he bogeyed 18 to end up with a share of 33rd place.

Jacquelin, meanwhile, bogeyed 16, then found water at 17 and 18 for double bogeys at both. He settled in at 19th position.

Ferrie's 285 was three strokes under par and two better than Graeme Storm and Colin Montgomerie. Darren Clarke might have improved on his tie at fourth place had he not started off so poorly on Sunday.

He was four over par for his round after six holes, but finished with three birdies beginning at 16 to close with a score of 288 (69-71-75-73). This was his first outing in about a month. He's been by the side of his wife Heather, who is battling cancer, and has been tending a minor injury to his left knee.

Gary Murphy and Damien McGrane both showed well, emerging with five others in sixth place at 289. Murphy, whose cards read 68, 76, 73 and 72, had his own difficulties with the 15-17 stretch, playing it seven over par for the four days. McGrane, however, found that territory to be a piece of cake, playing it two under. His troubles came elsewhere as he shot 70, 71, 74 and 74.

Graeme McDowell, who tied for 13th place at 290 (72-75-70-73), also had some unusual moments. He recorded two eagles and one albatross, but more than offset those with six double bogeys.

As for Padraig Harrington, the excitement from the previous week's Barclays Classic win proved too much. He made a quick exit after shooting 79 and 74, missing the cut by five strokes. He three-putted five times on Thursday and admitted to being "mentally drained," advising that had this tournament been played outside of Ireland, he would have taken the week off.

EUROPEAN TOUR

The Irish contingent was largely ineffective in the French Open at Le Golf National in Paris. Stephen Browne's shared 44th-place finish, with a score of 287 (68-76-69-74), was the best of the crew. Behind him came Paul McGinley, who was in joint 55th place at 289 (70-71-73-75), Peter Lawrie, tied for 68th at 292 (70-72-73-77), and Gary Murphy, part of a trio in 73rd at 293 (75-68-77-73). Philip Walton and Damien McGrane shot identical rounds of 76 and 72 to miss weekend qualifying by four strokes. Jean-Francois Remesy won the title before his countrymen after outlasting Jean Van de Velde in a playoff. Both men shot 273 in regulation.