Cullen records third success

The Swede looked across to the golfer in the Lacoste navy sleeveless top. "You've really put it up to me," said Per-Ulrik Johansson, jokingly. Bill Cullen, the chairman and chief executive of Renault, in his capacity as a three-time winner of the Smurfit European Open Pro-Am, could afford a broad smile.

For the third successive year, Cullen was part of the winning pro-am team which, on this occasion, was led home by an in-form Darren Clarke. Cullen, a member of The K Club, and Clarke were joined by another member of the host club Joe O'Grady, the corporate sales director of Renault, who was also on last year's winning team, and Royal Dublin member Gerry O'Brien of Hibernian Insurance in producing a winning total of 18-under-par 126 to take the top prize.

For a time, it looked as if Payne Stewart's team - which featured Dermot Desmond, JP McManus and Christy Roche - would trouble the eventual leaders when they reached the turn in nine-under-par, but they faded away and, instead, the runner-up position was taken by the Jefferson Smurfit team led by David Carter and included Peter Webster, Donal Byrne and Eddie Kilty who finished three strokes adrift.

The winners' produced a fine team performance, dove-tailing nicely throughout and each producing their fair share of shots. Clarke, who was joined by his coach Peter Cowan on the 14th, was, according to O'Grady, a "splendid" motivator to the team, if a little taken aback at times by the club selection of his team-mates.

For example, on the 15th, when Cullen reached into his bag and took out a small-headed wood, Clarke was forced to ask what club it was. "A nine-wood, my divine nine," replied Cullen, who promptly stitched the approach, almost outdoing the 70-footer he'd holed on the sixth for an unlikely par.

The Renault team drove to victory ahead of a chasing pack of Jefferson Smurfit teams who filled the next three placings in the event which was the precursor to the championship proper. Nevertheless, it was a nice boost for Clarke on a course where he was once the touring professional.