McGrane's tour class on show at The K Club
07/05/2015
Damien McGrane turned on the style to win The K Club Newstalk Irish PGA Pro-Am at the Co Kildare venue.
The European tour regular (centre) carded a six-under-par 66 over the Palmer Course to cruise to a three-shot victory over Elm Park's Dara Lernihan.
Tuesday's wash-out forced tournament officials to reschedule an 18-hole event for today (Wednesday) and McGrane made the most of the better weather that prevailed in the afternoon.
“We definitely got the best of the draw so I suppose psychologically we were more positive going out,” said McGrane.
“I played pretty well and holed a few putts and that's what you have to do to go low.”
The 44-year-old, currently ranked 161st in the European Tour's Race to Dubai started his round on the 10th and got off to a positive start with a birdie.
He followed that up with birdies at the 13th and the par five 18th to go out in three-under 34.
McGrane made a solid start to his back nine with pars at the first and second before picking up another birdie at the par-three third.
He recorded his only blemish of the day at the fifth when he dropped a shot but he bounced back with a hat-trick of birdies at seven, eight and nine to come home in three-under 32.
“I knew if I could finish my round off with a couple of birdies I would be difficult to catch,” added Damien.
“At the same time, I knew that a couple of mistakes could drop me back into a battle again so it was particularly pleasing to finish off the round in such a strong fashion.”
Lernihan produced a flawless round of golf which included no dropped shots and birdies at the first, 12th and 15th.
The 28-year-old assistant finished four shots clear of a quintet of competitors on one-over-par – Peter Lawrie, Robert Giles, Mark Staunton, Neil O'Briain and Eamonn Brady.
O'Briain guided his team to success in the team event with a fine total of 90 giving them room to spare of second placed David Hughes (Massereene) on 84 points.
The next event on The PGA in Ireland schedule is the Dr William Flynn Memorial Pro-Am at Shannon GC on May 8.
