CHINA OPEN: DAMIEN McGRANE returns to the scene of his finest moment this week to defend the Volvo China Open at Beijing CBD International Golf Club in China.

McGrane, who celebrated his 38th birthday three days before the start of the tournament, hopes to be as inspired by his surroundings as he was 12 months ago.

On a final day punctuated by cold and driving rain, the man from Co Meath produced the performance of a lifetime by cruising to a commanding, nine-stroke victory to win his first European Tour title.

That runaway success, on his 169th start on Tour – the largest winning margin in 2008 – was McGrane’s vindication for all the hard work and dedication he put into the game since turning professional in 1991.

It also proved to be the first leg of a remarkable Irish “treble”, with Darren Clarke winning the following week’s Asian Open and Peter Lawrie – another player competing in Beijing – capturing the Spanish Open a fortnight later.

McGrane is one of five former China Open champions in the field in China’s Olympic city, with 2005 winner Stephen Dodd of Wales taking part along with Austria’s Markus Brier, who triumphed in 2007.

Also in the field are China’s Zhang Lian-wei, the 2003 champion, David Gleeson of Australia, the 2002 champion, and Englishman Simon Dyson, winner in the year 2000.

McGrane and Lawrie are joined in the field by Paul McGinley, Gary Murphy and Gareth Maybin.

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie is also playing, and he feels he needs to start winning tournaments again if he is to inspire the European team in 2010.

Following the demoralising defeat at Valhalla last September, the 45-year-old was handed the task in January of wresting the trophy from American hands at Celtic Manor in 18 months.

Montgomerie, though, has not tasted victory for almost two years. The last trophy he lifted was the World Cup at Mission Hills in November 2007, when he and Marc Warren triumphed for Scotland, and his last individual success was in the European Open at The K Club in July of the same year.

Indeed he has not recorded a top-10 finish since he was runner-up to Pablo Larrazabal at last June’s French Open, while his best effort this season to date is a tie for 13th at the Dubai Desert Classic at the beginning of February.

The Scot underlined it is vital he rediscovers some of the form that brought him a record eight Order of Merit titles if he is to lead the European team with conviction and authority in Wales.

“It’s very important to show that I’m still competing,” he said.

“I’ve always thought it was very important for players to have respect of their captain and I think if I start and keep winning through this tenure, this 18 months to go before the Ryder Cup is played, it will be important for me standing on that first tee – and them as well looking at me knowing they have a captain that is competing at the very top level.

“I think that’s one of the reasons I was appointed as captain in the first place, because of that fact, and I would love to show them and prove to them that I am still capable of winning.”

But even if Montgomerie manages to accomplish that goal, he reiterated it would not change his mind about competing at Celtic Manor.

“No, I will not be playing in the Ryder Cup even if I win most of the tournaments never mind one.” he added. “I was selected as Ryder Cup captain and not Ryder Cup player on this occasion. We are very fortunate in Europe to have a number of players vying for those positions of higher standard than I right now.

“We’re very fortunate to have that quality, that wealth of talent with European-born players far outweighs anything I can do, so I’ll stay on the sidelines and try to help them round as best I can.

“We can put out two or three teams of similar quality and I think that’s the first time we can truthfully say that.”

Meanwhile, on the US Tour, Rory McIlroy, the only teenager to make the cut in last week’s US Masters, is the only Irish competitor in the €5 million Heritage Classic at the Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

China Open

Course: Beijing CBD International GC

Length: 7,321 yards. Par: 72. Flat but challenging, with undulating greens and water on almost every hole.

Prizemoney: €2 million, €275,813 for the winner

Defending champion: Damien McGrane.

First played: 2005 (as part of European Tour).

On TV: Sky Sports 2, 6-10am.

Weather: Sunny and cool, 180C.