GOLF:"I'M GLAD that's over," was the relieved response from Graeme McDowell walking off the 18th green at Valderrama, where the pecking order remained intact after he locked horns with two fellow countrymen before winning the Andalucia Masters.
What McDowell has achieved in 2010 is nothing short of extraordinary. First indications of the stellar year came with his Wales Open win in June, which was quickly followed by his major breakthrough at the US Open. He then revelled in the role of Ryder Cup hero at Celtic Manor.
“It really has been a special season and I couldn’t imagine it would have gone the way it has,” said McDowell, who took the best part of a €500,000 chunk out of Martin Kaymer’s Race to Dubai lead in one clean hit at Valderrama.
Three wins this season, seven overall and over €9 million in European career earnings, European Ryder Cup hero in Wales and now inside the world top-10.
“If Carlsberg did golf seasons . . .” well, you get the drift.
McDowell became the third player this season, alongside Kaymer and Miguel Angel Jimenez, to win three or more times in Europe. He also follows Paul McGinley (2005) and Ronan Rafferty (1989) as Irish winners at the famous Spanish layout.
McDowell’s upward curve this year originated with a late call to Tiger Woods’ Chevron Invitational last December. By finishing runner-up to Jim Furyk at Sherwood he broke into the world top-50 before year’s end to guarantee his place in so many key events such as the majors and WGC events.
For a country of fewer than six million, Ireland more than punches above its weight on the professional fairways. McDowell is a genuine big-time player and one third of Ireland’s top-tier professionals alongside three-time major winner Pádraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy.
If such hierarchy is accepted, then there is a burgeoning Irish contingent operating just below the game’s top table.
That’s where the likes of Gareth Maybin, Damien McGrane, Peter Lawrie, Michael Hoey – the list goes on – find themselves. With the exception of Maybin, the others have all secured their maiden European Tour wins. Lawrie was also Ireland’s first rookie of the year recipient (2003).
Household names such Ryder Cup vice-captains Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley may have moved beyond their peak, but the multiple winners still know how to get the job done on occasion.
If there is a third tier then seasoned campaigner Gary Murphy has slipped into it and is destined to join the likes of Simon Thornton and Colm Moriarty at next month’s Qualifying School.
As for yesterday’s Irish runners-up, McGrane and Maybin have earned the right for they have taken the long road to success. For years McGrane juggled a club professional role at Wexford Golf Club and plied his trade on the Irish PGA circuit – and won the order of merit three times – before chasing the dream and committing full-time to the European Tour in 2003. His breakthrough win came at the 2008 China Open.
Maybin turned professional in 2005 after completing a scholarship at the University of South Alabama. He spent time on the US Hooters Tour and finished fourth on the money list in his first season and won in 2005 and 2007.
In 2007, the 30-year-old started to accept invitations on the Challenge Tour and the migration to Europe began.
In 2008, he won the Quingdao Open in China and finished fourth on the Challenge Tour money list.
“It’s probably one of the most enjoyable weeks that I’ve had,” said Maybin of his finish yesterday. “To come up two shots shy was probably the right result, but I’m very proud of how I bounced back and I’ll take a lot from that.”
McGrane, by contrast was left to rue a nightmare finish where he dropped four shots in three holes on the treacherous run-in at Valderrama.
McDowell may have won but Maybin and McGrane, with €223,710 each, have guaranteed their places at the season-ending Dubai World Championship.
Selected wins in 2010
Graeme McDowell
Wales Open June
US Open June
Andalucia Masters October
Rory McIlroy
Quail Hollow Championship April
Pádraig Harrington
Iskandar Johor Open October
Martin Kaymer
Abu Dhabi Championship January
US PGA Championship August
Dutch Open September
Alfred Dunhill Links October
Lee Westwood
St Jude Classic June
281 – Graeme McDowell 68 67 72 74 (€500,000).
283 – S Kjeldsen (Den) 71 75 68 69, Damien McGrane 68 73 70 72, Gareth Maybin 69 68 70 76 (€223,710 each).
284 – T Bjorn (Den) 72 69 71 72, J Luiten (Ned) 74 69 72 69.
285 – MA Jimenez (Spa) 70 70 71 74, R Jacquelin (Fra) 71 70 73 71.
287 – SSP Chowrasia (Ind) 71 73 72 71.
288 – A Wall 72 73 71 72, JM Olazabal (Spa) 73 72 73 70, S Webster 73 74 69 72, S Garcia (Spa) 70 73 69 76.
289 – JM Singh (Ind) 70 71 72 76, RJ Derksen (Ned) 70 71 72 76, R Fisher 71 73 72 73, I Garrido (Spa) 71 76 70 72.
290 – J-B Gonnet (Fra) 74 67 75 74, T Aiken (SA) 73 69 75 73, Shane Lowry 73 71 71 75 (€37,300).
291 – R Rock 71 74 71 75, A Canizares (Spa) 71 75 70 75, R Green (Aus) 72 71 73 75, M Kaymer (Ger) 72 74 70 75, G Havret (Fra) 74 70 71 76.
292 – D Drysdale 73 72 76 71, J Kingston (Rsa) 71 70 73 78, D Howell 76 71 70 75, J-F Lucquin (Fra) 72 73 76 71, Darren Clarke 72 70 75 75 (€27,600), P Hedblom (Swe) 71 70 76 75, G Fdez-Castano (Spa) 71 71 77 73.
293 – O Wilson 74 72 71 76, J Donaldson 72 73 74 74.
294 – F Molinari (Ita) 70 73 73 78, S Hansen (Den) 70 75 75 74, F Zanotti (Par) 74 70 75 75, T Levet (Fra) 73 71 74 76, Michael Hoey 70 72 77 75 (€21,300).
295 – C Wood 72 74 73 76, M Warren 75 72 75 73, N Fasth (Swe) 73 66 76 80, R Echenique (Arg) 71 71 76 77.
296 – A Kang (USA) 73 72 68 83, G Boyd 71 69 78 78, S Kapur (Ind) 69 78 72 77.
297 – P Hanson (Swe) 72 74 71 80, Peter Lawrie 72 74 74 77 (€14,700), P Larrazabal (Spa) 66 77 76 78.
299 – M Wiegele (Aut) 73 74 76 76, S Gallacher 75 71 77 76.
300 – O Henningsson (Swe) 71 76 74 79, Santiago Luna (Spa) 72 74 76 78.
301 – M Lundberg (Swe) 72 75 75 79.
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