Date: 13 February 2005
Brian Keogh

Subject: McGrane 7th in NZ Open

Dogged Damien McGrane had his best finish in 20 months in the Holden New Zealand Open at Gulf Harbour.

The fomer Wexford club pro birdied the last two holes to card a 68 and finish tied for seventh on 15 under par.

But he finished seven shots outside a play-off for the title that saw Sweden’s Niclas Fasth beat England’s Miles Tunnicliff with a birdie at the second tie hole.

Fast-finishing Fasth scorched to a nine under par 63 to set the clubhouse target of 22 under par.

But the former Ryder Cup ace, 33, was finally matched by Tunnicliff who drained a 20 footer at the 72nd hole for a 66 to force a play-off.

Pint-sized Tunnicliff looked to have lost his chance of catching Fasth when he missed a five footer for birdie at the 17th.

But after coming up trumps at the last, he had to bow to the mercuriual on the same hole in extra time.

First time round, Tunnicliff his a spectator with his approach and had to get up and down from greenside rough to save his par and keep his hopes alive.

However, his luck ran out the second time of asking as he missed from long range before Fasth rammed home a 12 footer to clinch his second European Tour win.

Fasth began the day four shots off the lead but birdied the second and fourth and eagled the sixth to climb to the top of the leaderboard.

Tunnicliff drew level with his second birdie of the day on the eighth and from then on it developed into a two-horse race.

Birdies on the tenth and 11th briefly took Fasth two strokes clear but Tunnicliff then holed out from a bunker on the short par four 12th for an eagle two to draw level again.

Fasth birdied the 17th to assume control again but Tunnicliff’s birdie on the last ensured that the contest went into extra time

It was also a mini victory for McGrane, whose previous best finish was a share of fourth place in the 2003 Aa St Omer Open.

The Kells native was four under par for the day as he entered the back nine but double bogeyed the par five 11th to drop out of the top ten.

However, he showed his fighting qualities with birdies at the 17th and 18th to pick up a cheque for €22,485.

Dubliner Peter Lawrie also shot a closing 68 to share 13th place on 14 under and earn €14,230.

McGrane is now 20th in the Order of Merit with over €52,000, one place ahead of superstar Padraig Harrington with Lawrie in 23rd position.