Irish Golf Desk
Golf news and features
Irish Golf Desk - Irish Golf News
Site last published: 11/21/08
Damien McGrane
Clarke set for rankings charge
05/11/08 15:38 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
The Ulsterman, 40, tees it up in the HSBC Champions in Shanghai ranked 62nd in the world and guaranteed starts in two of next season’s majors.
But with the Singapore, Australian and South African Opens to come, he plans to book his spot in the Masters and the US PGA by finishing the season back where he believes he belongs. Read More...
Valderrama is Valhalla for a day
02/11/08 15:59 Filed in: The Irish Times
While the diminutive Dane Kjeldsen avenged last season’s play-off defeat by clinching an impressive two-stroke victory in the weather-ravaged final edition of the Volvo Masters, Karlsson rounded off a season of incredible consistency when he became the first Swede to lift the coveted Harry Vardon Trophy. Read More...
Storming finish for Harrington at Kingsbarns
02/10/08 20:13 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Padraig Harrington produced a brilliant finish to rescue his hopes of a third Dunhill Links Championship and his second Order of Merit title.
He was level par after 12 holes, good enough only for a share of 90th place but then birdied five of his last six holes to card a five-under-par 67, three off the lead held by Ryder Cup team-mate Soren Hansen and England's Ross Fisher. Read More...
He was level par after 12 holes, good enough only for a share of 90th place but then birdied five of his last six holes to card a five-under-par 67, three off the lead held by Ryder Cup team-mate Soren Hansen and England's Ross Fisher. Read More...
Bumper year for Irish golf
25/08/08 13:09 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Darren Clarke’s amazing KLM Open victory brought Ireland’s victory haul this year to an incredible 13. Read More...
McGrane laments luck of the draw
18/07/08 23:04 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Damien McGrane was left cursing the luck of the draw as he missed the cut on his Major debut. Read More...
McGrane shellshocked on Open debut
17/07/08 23:15 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Damien McGrane walked away feeling shellshocked after a miserable Major debut at “silly” Royal Birkdale.
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Ireland's Open challengers
16/07/08 23:27 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Ireland’s Open challengers Read More...
Zulu dawn for McGrane
16/07/08 23:22 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Debut boy Damien McGrane reckons there could be Zulus hiding in the rough at Royal Birkdale. Read More...
Irish get Major company in Open draw
14/07/08 23:43 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Pádraig Harrington will have some major company in the first two rounds of the Open at Royal Birkdale.
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Nightmare for McGinley as McGrane achieves Open dream
26/05/08 17:13 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Damien McGrane celebrated a dream come true last night when he clinched his Major championship debut in the Open at Royal Birkdale.
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McGinley in record-breaking form
23/05/08 11:51 Filed in: The Irish Examiner
Paul McGinley continued his amazing rise from the golfing doldrums when he finished birdie-eagle to leave the field spluttering in his exhaust fumes at the halfway stage of the the BMW PGA Championship at rain-softened Wentworth. Read More...
McGrane not fazed by fame
14/05/08 20:05 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
“Little Mac” Damien McGrane says his new found fame won’t change him as a golfer. Read More...
Maiden win is huge for Lawrie
05/05/08 23:37 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Des Smyth and Damien McGrane were thrilled for Peter Lawrie after watching him smash a massive mental barrier to win in Seville. Read More...
McGrane comes back to earth
24/04/08 23:01 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Damien McGrane came back to earth with a bump following his Volvo China Open win when double bogeyed his opening hole in the BWM Asian Open. Read More...
Harrington backs McGrane for Ryder Cup
22/04/08 10:41 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Damien McGrane and Padraig Harrington could become the Ryder Cup pairing from hell. Read More...
Demon Damien a world-beater says Joey
21/04/08 22:50 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Portmarnock pro Joey Purcell reckons Damien McGrane would be a matchplay nightmare for any rival. Read More...
Ryder Cup beckons as McGrane wins maiden title
20/04/08 23:51 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Super-grinder Damien McGrane broke is tour duck with an amazing NINE-shot win at the rain-lashed Volvo China Open and confessed: The world is my oyster now. Read More...
McGrane poised for maiden win
19/04/08 20:18 Filed in: Sunday Times
Damien McGrane delights in describing himself as a grinder, a European Tour worker bee, sucking up the euro and tournament experience with the kind of patience and dogged determination that makes the legendary Bernhard Langer look like a whirling dervish by comparison. Read More...
Grinder McGrane lurking in Beijing
19/04/08 01:19 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Grinder Damien McGrane produced a sensational short game display to lurk one-shot off the lead in the Volvo China Open in Beijing. Read More...
McGrane off to fast start in Beijing
17/04/08 20:28 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Early bird Damien McGrane putted like a dream to sit on the coat-tails of leader Michael Lorenzo-Vera of France in the Volvo China Open. Read More...
McIlroy off his greens in Portugal
06/04/08 20:24 Filed in: The Irish Examiner
Rory McIlroy had a nightmare day on the greens as Gregory Bourdy smashed David Howell’s comeback dreams with a play-off win in the Estoril Portuguese Open. Read More...
McIlroy in with chance in Estoril
05/04/08 15:03 Filed in: Sunday Independent
Rory McIlroy hopes he can rediscover the kind of form that helped him shoot a course record 61 at Royal Portrush less than three years ago when he attempts to bridge a six-shot gap on leader Gregory Bourdy and win his maiden European Tour title at the Estoril Portuguese Open. Read More...
McIlroy looking for big finish in Portugal
04/04/08 11:29 Filed in: The Irish Examiner
Rory McIlroy believes he can still contend for the Estoril Portuguese Open after signing off with an eagle three at sun-scorched Oitavos Dunes. Read More...
Three-putts kill Clarke charge in Estoril
03/04/08 11:25 Filed in: Irish Independent
Darren Clarke’s mood wasn’t quite as black as his outfit or the well-thumbed leather notebook where he’s been jotting down his golfing secrets for the past 15 years.
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Clarke and McIlroy fuming at the finish
03/04/08 11:23 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Ulstermen Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy were fuming after poor finishes left them trailing in the Estoril Portuguese Open. Read More...
Levet conquers vertigo to scale heights again
30/03/08 22:58 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Thomas Levet completed a dream comeback from a nightmare battle with vertigo to win the Open de Andalucia in a play-off with teenager Oliver Fisher. Read More...
Westwood leads in Spain
29/03/08 21:16 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Defending champion Lee Westwood fired a six-under-par 66 to take a one stroke lead over Oliver Fisher, David Lynn and Thomas Levet entering the final round of the MAPFRE Open de Andalucía. Read More...
McIlroy starts well
27/03/08 19:59 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Rory McIlroy got the fast start he has been seeking all season when he opened with a 68 in the Open de Andalucia near Marbella. Read More...
McDowell opens the door
15/03/08 12:12 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Graeme McDowell double bogeyed the 18th to allow Jeev Milkha Singh claim a share of the lead entering the final round of the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea. Read More...
McGrane sets sights on Doral
25/02/08 13:35 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Damien McGrane is back in India this week seeking his first European Tour win and a place in next month's megabucks WGC - CA Championship at Doral. Read More...
McGrane ready to win
11/02/08 13:21 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Damien McGrane has beaten Tiger Woods and blasted his way nearly 100 places up the world rankings over the last month.
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McGrane heads McDowell in Indian Masters
08/02/08 16:02 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Irish duo Damien McGrane and Graeme McDowell surged to the top of the pile at the EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters in Delhi. Read More...
McGrane on fire in Indian Masters
07/02/08 16:06 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Damien McGrane hit a five under par 67 to trail India's Jyoti Randhawa by just two shots after the first round of the EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters. Read More...
Els and Clarke to bounce back
06/02/08 14:53 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Darren Clarke and Ernie Els are hoping to bounce back from their Dubai disappointments in the EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters.
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McGrane's new friend Tiger
04/02/08 07:37 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Damien McGrane became the latest victim of the Tiger Woods factor in Dubai - but still made a new friend in the world No 1.
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Irish left in Tiger's wake
03/02/08 07:32 Filed in: The Irish Times
Graeme McDowell and Damien McGrane had to bow to the superiority of Tiger Woods in the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic.
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McGrane the Tiger killer
02/02/08 07:31 Filed in: Sunday Tribune
Damien McGrane became a Tiger-slayer for the day when he outscored world No 1 Woods 72-73 to keep his hopes of a maiden European Tour victory alive in the Dubai Desert Classic.
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Damien's date with destiny
01/02/08 07:29 Filed in: The Irish Examiner
Tiger Woods is getting almost twice as much in appearance money this week - a cool €2.4 million - than Damien McGrane has earned in his entire career.
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Tiger date for McGrane
01/02/08 07:25 Filed in: The Irish Times
It might look like one of the greatest mismatches in sport but when world No. 319 Damien McGrane stands on the first tee with No 1 Tiger Woods at the Emirates Club at one o’clock today, no-one who knows him has any doubt that the Kells native will be doing his own thing.
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McDowell on the up in Doha
25/01/08 17:30 Filed in: Irish Golf Desk
Graeme McDowell scrambled his way to a one under par 71 to lead the Irish challenge at the halfway stage of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters. Read More...
McGinley ninth as Kaymer wins in Abu Dhabi
20/01/08 16:00 Filed in: The Irish Examiner
As Germany's Martin Kaymer took a giant step towards superstardom with a four-stroke, wire-to-wire victory in the Abu Dhabi Championship, Ireland's Paul McGinley was far from satisfied with his first top-10 finish for 15 months
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Pain in the neck for Harrington
18/01/08 16:55 Filed in: The Irish Examiner
Painful memories of the 2002 US PGA Championship came back to haunt Padraig Harrington as he required on-course treatment on his neck to get through the second round of the Abu Dhabi Championship. Read More...
Winless trio due a win says Smyth
11/01/08 16:21 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2008
Des Smyth wants trio Peter Lawrie, Gary Murphy and Damien McGrane to live up to their potential and win in 2008.
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McDowell on the charge
16/11/07 23:20 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2007
Re-charged Graeme McDowell surged into contention at the Hong Kong Open as Rory McIlroy missed his first cut as a pro.
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Irish Open - home players
17/05/07 12:17 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2007
Paul McGinley topped the Irish charts on a bad day for the 17 strong home brigade at Adare Manor.
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Westwood ends four-year wait
13/05/07 23:16 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2007
Lee Westwood survived a nervy performance with the putter to grab his first European Tour win for almost four years.
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McGrane on high in Shanghai
19/04/07 19:31 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2007
Damien McGrane produced a rip-roaring finish to lead the Irish charge in the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai. Read More...
Green wins New Zealand Open
03/12/06 21:47 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2006
Aussie Nathan Green stormed out of the pack to win the Blue Chip New Zealand Open. Read More...
McGrane steady in rainy New Zealand Open
30/11/06 19:12 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2006
Straight-hitting Damien McGrane got off to a solid start in the rain-lashed $1.5 million Blue Chip New Zealand Open. Read More...
McGrane makes his move Down Under
24/11/06 11:14 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2006
Damien McGrane stormed to second round 67 as Aussie amateur Aaron Pike moved two shots clear at the MasterCard Masters. Read More...
McGrane hot as McGinley goes cold
16/11/06 21:51 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2006
Damien McGrane got off to a hot start as Paul McGInley battled an "ice cold" putter in the UBS Hong Kong Open. Read More...
Classy McGrane retains European Tour card in style
12/11/03 20:26 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2003
Wexford club professional Damien McGrane grabbed his European Tour Card in style in Spain yesterday and roared: "I'm so proud of what I've achieved." Read More...
McGrane edging closer to Tour dream
05/12/02 00:12 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2002
When they tell you not to give up the day job it’s time to get worried. Read More...
McGrane fighting to join the big boys
02/06/01 23:57 Filed in: The Irish Sun 2001
He might not look the part, but a feisty club pro Damien McGrane has what it takes to join the big boys on Tour. Read More...