McDermott enjoys the perfect homecoming

Some 40 years after departing these shores, the prodigal son returned to conquer. Joe McDermott isn't inclined to indulge in half measures, so it was an act of typical defiance that saw the Clare-born American-based player repel the Aussie invaders to capture the AIB Irish Seniors Open, at the fifth sudden-death play-off hole, at Woodbrook yesterday.

"Mind-boggling," remarked a dazed McDermott, a character who is the stuff of sporting romance. The 58-year-old tour "rookie" had included a hole-in-one on his way to a final round 66 for eight-under-par 208, a mark which left him in a three-way tie with Australians Terry Gale and Noel Ratcliffe.

Then, as if to prove that his thin frame was capable of even greater drama, McDermott held off two men who've won 35 tournaments between them to take the £16,660 top prize and the Waterford Crystal trophy.

It has been a remarkable seven months for McDermott, born in Kilrush, Co Clare, but who emigrated to the United States in 1959. Last October, he holed out with a seven-wood approach on his 54th hole at the European Seniors' qualifying school at Hardelot in northern France for an albatross two which won him his card for the season; in January, he got married to Susan, who's accompanying him on his tour odyssey, and, yesterday, he completed "a dream" by taking the tournament that means more to him than any other.

McDermott had to do it the hard way, though. After Ratcliffe - the long-time leader, who'd bogeyed the last to drop back into the play-off - had dropped away at the first tie hole (which he again bogeyed after a poor drive behind a tree on the left), McDermott and Gale, the current PGA Seniors champion and a winner of 31 tournaments in seven countries in an illustrious playing career, trooped up the 18th fairway a further four times.

It gave them time to observe that, indeed, there is a regular DART service on Sundays as they repeatedly were forced to wait on shots; but, more significantly, it gave McDermott an opportunity to display his iron will.

Twice, he was forced to snake putts across the green to tap-in distance for pars, continuing the drama; and both had birdie putts at the fourth sudden-death hole, although neither converted.

So, it was somewhat appropriate that the man who'd completed the back nine in just 30 strokes a couple of hours earlier finally rolled in an eight-foot birdie putt to take the crown. Even then, McDermott had to wait for Gale to miss his six-foot birdie effort before he could raise his white cap in his right hand and acknowledge the applause of the healthy galleries.

"I'm a proud man right now," remarked McDermott. As if to add to the stuff of romance, he had a fellow Kilrush emigrant from 1959 on his bag in Jim Doyle. In claiming his first European Tour win - although he won many regional events in the United States as a club professional, where he was based in Albuquerque for 30 years after studying at the University of New Mexico - McDermott was also bringing some glory to the Kilrush club, his attachment "for sentimental reasons".

McDermott had started the day five shots behind Ratcliffe, but sneaked through the pack with a red-hot back nine that included four birdies and that hole-in-one at the 13th. Ironically, it was also his 13th career ace. "I went down the grip on a three-wood," he revealed, explaining the shot of 200 yards to the front of the green. The ball pitched on the putting surface and obligingly rolled the 10 feet into the cup.

Having birdied the previous hole, that ace catapulted him up the leaderboard up to five under for the tournament. He added further birdies at the 14th and 16th (both Par 5s), and, at the 17th, where he sent a seven-iron tee-shot in to 15 feet and rolled in the putt. By contrast, Ratcliffe - who'd looked likely to pocket the top prize - completed the same stretch from the 12th in one over, representing a crucial, seven-shot swing.

McDermott moved up to fourth place in the European Tour moneylist thanks to his win, and now plans to continue his assault on this side of the Atlantic for the rest of the season, with his wife accompanying him. "I tried for my US Seniors Tour card three times but always came up a few shots short," he said.

Meanwhile, Ratcliffe's bogeybogey play on the famous 18th proved costly; he collected £8,680 along with Gale for sharing second place.

Defending champion Tommy Horton failed to ignite on the final day, closing with a 72 for five-under-par 211 and fifth place, while 73-year-old Christy O'Connor again demonstrated his competitive instincts by surviving all three rounds.

But even "Himself" would admit that the day belonged to McDermott, who went off to America to find fame and fortune but discovered it on his native sod.