Flying The Meath Flag


BY JIMMY GEOGHEGAN – Meath Chronicle December 2003

Damien McGrane is frequently referred to in the national media as "the
Wexford man" a misconception that probably originates from the fact that
he has spent the past few years as the professional at Wexford Golf
Club.

But the 32-year-old is very much part of Meath having grown up in Kells
and started his career in the local Headfort club.

McGrane has come a long way since he first walked across the undulating,
picturesque Headfort course as a youngster.

He finished his apprenticeship at the club under the guidance of Brendan
McGovern, and went on to win many prestigious titles on the national and
international stages including the Irish Boys' Championship.

McGrane topped the Irish Order of Merit for three years and finished
10th in the prestigious Lancôme Trophy event.

The Kells man received some early Christmas cheer a few weeks ago when
he received his European Tour card for 2004. However it was a 'present'
he had to earn the hard way.

After a disappointing debut season on the European Tour McGrane had to
re-qualify for 2004.

And he did just that in considerable style finishing joint third with a
five under par 66 alongside Denmark's Jeppe Huldahl at the European Tour
school at Emporda Golf Club, Spain. McGrane received the third tour card
ahead of Huldahl because he had a better final round.

"It was a great achievement to get the card for 2004 because up to 2,000
golfers started out to try and get the 35 cards available and I was very
pleased to finish in third place. It is a brilliant achievement to win
any card," he said.

"I played consistent golf throughout the six days at the qualifying
school. I suppose I was lucky also in that I got no bad luck. The fact
that I finished third means that I will have a lot more opportunities to
play in the major tournaments."

While he spends much of his life these days travelling around the world
McGrane is very conscious of his origins.

"One of the reasons I was delighted to get the European Tour card again
is because I think it is nice for people in Meath to have a player on
the European Tour, somebody that they know and can follow and identify
with. I spent most of my life around the area and I'm very much a part
of Meath."

No matter where he plays McGrane loves to return to Ireland to appear in
front of local crowds and is eagerly looking forward to the Irish Open
at Baltray next year.

Last year McGrane, who is married with two children, won E126,000 on the
European Tour which in most people's eyes would be considered a sizeable
sum, but as he pointed out the expenses can be "tremendous."

Sponsorship is a big help in meeting the considerable costs and while
McGrane gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance he has received
he is still searching for that big sponsorship deal.

Having previously spent two years on the Challenge Tour before
graduating onto the European Tour last season McGrane is well aware of
the very thin line between success and failure at such a high level.

There is the travelling, frustrations on the course, the disappointments
diminished only by the odd success, but McGrane is driven by some inner
compulsion to try and always improve his game, to show he can compete
alongside the likes of Olazabal, Wood and Els of this world.

"Like any team game you can go out one week and play great golf and go
out the next and you can be poor. You have to work at it.

"The travelling is probably the worst, most stressful part of this life,
but every good golfer wants to play at the highest level," he concluded.

The Kells man certainly works at his game spending six days a week on
the course either playing or practising.

As a professional he recognises the importance of maintaining a positive
outlook in a hugely demanding environment. It is an outlook that has
helped him come a long way since his days as the eager young apprentice
at Headfort.