GOLF/IRISH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP:ANGRY GOLFERS tend to get burned but title favourite Damien McGrane turned his ire to his advantage to close the gap on the leaders in the Ladbrokes.com Irish PGA at testing Seapoint.
The 39-year old European Tour star confessed he was “fuming” when he missed a short par putt at the par-three ninth to turn in level par at the testing Termonfeckin links. But aided by a chill northwest breeze that allowed just seven players to break par yesterday, the Meath man eagled the par-five 10th and then birdied the tough 12th en route to a two under par 70 that left him just two strokes behind pacesetters Damian Mooney and Neil Manchip on three under par.
Happy with his day despite a late bogey at the short 15th, McGrane said: “I made eagle on the 10th but that was coming off a bit of bad temper. Nine was a good hole today. I hit a four iron that went right on the breeze and then shot right, which meant it was 20 yards right of the green. As I expected, I hit a very good shot to around three feet and I was very disappointed not to sink the putt after such a good pitch. I hit it too firm through the break. I was fuming.
“So at the 10th I just blasted a driver into oblivion and a five-wood from 275 yards after it and holed a 10 footer.”
Turning back into the breeze, he picked up another shot at the tough par-four 12th by rifling a superb five-wood to three feet. But after that late bogey at the short 15th, he knows he can’t afford to give away many shots over the weekend. “There are plenty of chances out there and I am not picking them all up, which is disappointing, but I am certainly in position to take them,” McGrane said. “I think I have a low number in me somewhere and I just have to get it out before Sunday night.”
Overnight leader Mooney looked likely to follow his opening 66 with another sub-par score but he bogeyed the 15th, 17th and 18th to sign for a 73 that was still good enough for the clubhouse lead on five under par. He was joined at the top by teaching professional Manchip, who was two over par through 10 holes before he self-diagnosed his over-eagerness and birdied two par fives coming home for a battling 72.
Connemara man David Mortimer, the 2006 champion, posted a second successive 70 to trail the leaders by a stroke on four under, with McGrane and Ulster champion Barrie Trainor (71) a shot further back.
Tour star Shane Lowry, who is coached by Manchip, was pleased with his long iron play as he came back from a bogey-bogey start to fire a 72 that left him three off the pace on two-under alongside David Higgins (71) and Kilkenny professional Jimmy Bolger (70).
Local favourite Des Smyth’s bid for a seventh Irish PGA title suffered a blow as he slipped five shots off the pace after a disappointing 75. “In the end I was quite happy to shoot 75,” Smyth said as he ended on level par. “I drove the ball poorly so I was never in the right place and I didn’t putt as well as yesterday.”
