Evil weather made the final day of the Volvo China Open a wretched experience for the spectators, but they got off lightly compared with the punishment meted out to the players.
Ireland's Damien McGrane holds aloft the trophy after winning the China Open golf tournament in Beijing April 20, 2008. [Agencies]
On a day on which only one player made a par score, the diminutive Irishman Damien McGrane finished head and shoulders above the rest. All day he battled like a terrier, refusing to be beaten by the course or by the conditions. He dropped two shots on the on the 2nd and the 8th, and won them back again on the 9th and the 11th. If ever a man deserved his day this was the day and McGrane was the man.
As he made his way up the 18th fairway the scoreboard by the green had a remarkable consistency to it - McGrane: -11; Griffiths: -1; Wilson: -1; Lorenzo-Vera: –1. The steady rain was in the process of turning to a downpour, but it must have felt to McGrane as if he was bathed in a warm dram of whiskey. He yielded another shot on the final green, but can be excused such a minor lapse.
McGrane started the day on –11, and finished on –10. His closest challengers, Wilson, Strange, and Lorenzo-Vera did their best, but each fell steadily further behind. Whatever the final day's scores might read, all of these can take credit for their efforts over the course of the competition. McGrane's win was likewise forged over four days, during the course of which he did not produce a single weak round.
On-course scoreboards would have shown McGrane that he was four ahead at the turn, and six ahead after the 12th. As he stood on the final tee he held a lead of ten strokes. During his post-win interview he modestly insisted that the thought of victory had first entered his head on the 17th hole. Perhaps a more accurate insight into his thinking was provided by his reflections on an excellent chip-in from off the green for a birdie on the par-5 9th – "Maybe that was the moment that I won the 2008 Volvo China Open…"
Of the home talent, Liang Wen Chong was the best finisher, and his final round of 75 was one of the best of the day, moving him up from 14th place at the start of the day to a tie for 8th. His experience of The Masters at Augusta, where he made his debut this year, has obviously served him well. He expressed himself satisfied by a top-10 finish, and hoped that his many fans had not been too disappointed, thanking the army of umbrellas for its steady support throughout the final day.
Of the other Chinese qualifiers, Li Chao finished 28th, Wu Kang-Chun 61st, and Wu Wei-Huang 68th. Amateur Hu Mu struggled to a final day 84 to tie for 65th place, but many better-known players posted similar scores, and many others were not there for the final two days. Hu Mu's achievement in making the cut on a course over which only four players were able to better par through the four days of competition was a significant achievement.
None of McGrane's challengers were able to make an impact on the final day. One by one they all fell away. England's Simon Griffiths and Oliver Wilson, and Michael Lorenzo-Vera all tied for second place, but the Frenchman's disappointment will be tempered by satisfaction at his overall performance at such an early stage of his full Tour career, and a cheque for around $150,000 will do no harm. Last year's Challenge Tour winner is definitely one to watch for the future.
England's John Bickerton should not go unmentioned. His magnificent par round – the only one of the day – moved him from 31st at the start of his round to a final tie for 12th.
Damien McGrane's clothing sponsor is the elegant Conte of Florence, but he must have been delighted to shed their subtle lines in exchange for the brilliant Gold Jacket of the 2008 Volvo China Open Champion. It shone, but not more than his obvious pride at his longed-for maiden Tour victory. Concluding a tournament that has been a credit to the Sponsors, the Club, and the China Golf Association alike, the winner quietly voiced his determination to come back next year and defend the title.
(China.org.cn by David Ferguson April 21, 2008)