In 2010 Damien McGrane only missed seven cuts in twenty seven outings to gather just over half a million euro in earnings and finishing five times in the top ten. Indeed, on a few occasion this season he has looked ready to add a second European Tour title - none more so than at the Estoril Open de Portugal - when he opened with a round of 64 only to then finish in fifth place.
At the Austria GolfOpen he started with a 67 finishing in a tie for sixth and just three shots off the winner Jose Manuel Lara of Spain.
2008 was his best season and included his one victory on the European Tour at the Volvo China Open in Beijing where he won the event by a margin of nine shots to collect a cheque for €232,121 the reward for his hard work seeing a childhood ambition fulfilled. A year later McGrane had three top ten finishes ending the year in 60th place in the Race to Dubai.
This season he is currently 53rd and will hope to improve matters at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters this week where he is paired on Thursday with Nicolas Colsaerts – a 2009 Challenge Tour Graduate in 66th place.
Having taken up the game at 14 he was first taken under the wing of Joey Purcell, professional at Portmarnock Golf Club and then Brendan McGovern, at Headfort Golf Club in Kells. McGrane became professional at Wexford Golf Club before returning to his roots in Kells, Co. Meath and is an honorary member of Headfort Golf Club.
Damien topped the Irish Order of Merit three times prior to the second of his successful Qualifying School visits in 2003 and one of the highlights of his professional career was playing for Great Britain and Ireland in the PGA Cup Match against the United States at The Celtic Manor Resort in 2000.
This season McGrane also made time to play in the 100th Irish PGA Championship - a title missing in his domestic trophy cabinet - at Seapoint Golf Links narrowly losing out on the eighteenth green to an eagle putt from Connemara’s David Mortimer of FORE Ireland.
Fact File
Date of Birth: April 13th 1971
Attachment Olive Group
Turned Pro 1991 (scratch)
Qualifying School 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002*, 2003* [*card not retained]
European Tour Statistics
Category | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
Stroke Average | 71.44 | 71.05 | 70.76 |
Driving Accuracy (%) | 63.42 | 59.75 | 62.92 |
Driving Distance (yards) | 277.29 | 279.71 | 276.64 |
Greens In Regulation (%) | 64.72 | 67.85 | 66.97 |
Average Putts Per Round | 29.01 | 29.13 | 28.87 |
Putts Per GIR | 1.78 | 1.78 | 1.75 |
Sand Saves (% / Total save attempts) | 39.73 / 146 | 48.41 / 126 | 41.11 / 90 |
