Damien - Madeira 2006.

Liam Spratt - Wexford.

Damien McGrane was disappointed after the final round of the Madeira Open when he carded a topsy turvy level par 72 to finish 8 under par which left him in 10^th place and winning’s of 14,000euro which boosted his earnings to 104,000 Euro this year.

That elusive first European tour win looked very close after his gutsy performance in the opening 3 rounds but final day Sunday was tough. It just didn’t happen. 
 

He spoke earlier in the year to Liam Spratt about getting a win “ I want to move on this year.  I am now have established my self on the Tour the next objective now has to be  to win an event and it is well with in my capabilities and I know that I an do it”. 
 

He wont get a better chance that last week when he was just 3 shots off then leaders Saturday night. 
 

He opened on Thursday with a fine 4 under par 68  “ played well on Thursday and might have a had one or two more birdies, the bogies on 12 and 17 were disappointing” he said after his opening round. 
 

On Friday he followed up with a 69 he carded 6 birdies but bogied 8,9 and 13 “ again I had chances but didn’t capitalise on them never the less I am in contention going into Saturday which is nice” he concluded. 
 

Saturday was more difficult but he was in the top 3 for most of the day 5 birdies but the 4 bogies were costly. Bogies on 8 and 9 in successive days were costly .He picked up a good birdie on the par 5 11^th hitting a superb drive down the middle of the fairway and putting his 3^rd shot with a sand wedge to 5 feet. 
 

He bogied 13 but finished very strongly birding 16 and 18.

“Yet again the story of missed chances but look I have made a few mistakes and got away with them I am just 3 shots behind the leader and I am very positive about tomorrow” he added Saturday evening. 
 

He opened with two par’s in the final round but then dropped his first shot on the third par 5 a poor drive the cause.

He regained his composure and birdied the next hole a 202-yard par 3 hitting an excellent 5 iron to 4 feet.

He birdied the 7^th par 5 again hitting a good approach shot to 6 feet.

He made the turn in 35 one under par. 
 

A double bogey 6 on the 13^th, which is the toughest hole on the course knocked the stuffing out of him, again he was in trouble off the tee box.

He should real commendable resolve to birdie the 15^th par 3 which is 185 yards long a clinical 7 iron creating the opportunity.

He eventually finished with a level par 72 which was 6 shots behind the winner Frenchman Jean Van De Velde who was winning his second European Tour event after an absence of 13 years. 
 

He was a little disappointed at the end “ After putting myself in contention I am naturally annoyed. I played all right but those around me played much better and that was the key” he continued “ My game is good enough because I haven’t played that much golf in the last couple of weeks.

The season is now into full swing and I am hopeful that I can continue to improve” he concluded. 
 

His winning’s bring his total earnings for 2006 to 104,467 Euro which puts him in 48^th position on the European Tour Order of Merit 
 

That elusive win might not be far off but this week’s performance shows the standard that the former Wexford Golf Club Pro would like to be at .

He is tremendously ambitious and who knows maybe that win is not that far off.

Lets hope not. 
 

Damien moves on to Portugal this week for the Portuguese Open, that starts on Thursday.