The three-man Irish team of Damian McGrane, Robert Giles and Damian Mooney swept to victory in the Johnnie Walker PGA of Europe Team Championship at Atalaya Park in Southern Spain on Saturday. The trio returned a 54-holes aggregate of 12-underpar 420 to be five shots clear of the 22 competing nations with England in second spot and holders Scotland in fifth place.
Wexford Club professional Damian McGrane led the Irish from start to finish and his rounds of 70, 68 and 69 left him in second individual spot. This was his third year in the championship but he felt this win was slightly tarnished because of the absence of Irish PGA secretary Michael McCumiskey. "We're just sorry that Michael could not be with us because of a family bereavement. He watched the Irish team battle unsuccessfully for the past seven years. He would have enjoyed this win," he said.
Yorkshire-born Giles, an assistant at Warrenpoint carded rounds of 73, 71 and 69 but out-of-touch Ulster PGA champion Mooney just couldn't get things going and returned scores of 74, 72 and 74.
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