When Irish Eyes are Smiling!
The 2008 professional Golfing season will be remembered for many different things – Tiger Woods epic battle with Rocco Mediate at the US Open, the passionate performance of the successful US Ryder Cup team and the emotional final staging of the European season ending Volvo Masters at Valderamma. However, as an Irishman, my memories are filled by the global success achieved by the Irish professionals on tour this season.
At the beginning of the 2008 season, I eagerly anticipated what lay ahead from an Irish perspective. Could the Irish have multiple winners on tour this year? Could Padraig Harrington possibly win another major after his success at Carnoustie in 2007? Could Darren Clarke revive his game to the standard he achieved in years gone by when he was mixing it with – and beating for that matter – the likes of Tiger Woods in the Accenture World Matchplay, or could Graeme McDowell fulfil his goal of making the Ryder Cup and finally announce his emergence on the global scene? To put it simply, in 2008 they did this and much more!
The victory trail began with McDowell’s playoff success at the Ballentines Championship in South Korea against Jeev Milkha Singh and he would later follow this with a victory in the Barclays Scottish Open against an illustrious field, played on a Loch Lomond course, which is arguably one of the stiffest tests on the European Tour. These results propelled Graeme onto the Ryder Cup team, where he again covered himself in glory, despite the loss of his side. A rejuvenated Darren Clarke won the BMW Asian Open in China and followed this with the KLM Open. This was quite an emotional year for Clarke after the loss of his wife in 2006 and it was a testimony to his drive and commitment in becoming a dual winner on Tour again. Peter Lawrie winning the Open de Espana in a gripping playoff and Damien McGrane displaying one of the most remarkable putting performances in winning the Volvo China Open by nine shots, were fantastic achievements for the two relatively unknown Irishmen and the hope now is that they can cement their status on Tour and taste success again in the 2009 season.
Undoubtedly however, the events which had every Irish man, women and child glued to their TV sets, were the British and USPGA Opens in which Padraig Harrington prevailed at the expense of Sergio Garcia. I cannot praise highly enough two of the most tenacious performances I have witnessed on a golf course and hope his success continues. Padraig has been an inspiration for the youthful generation around the globe and is the role model that we, in Ireland, are fortunate to have. He has a reputation for practicing longer than most and this dedication to the game has seen him reap the rewards. With such a strong mental attitude, he is the ultimate competitor and it is an exhilarating thought that Harrington may be the one to go head-to-head with Woods in one of the majors next season.
Overall, 2008 was the year of the Irish. 2008 was the year when we captured 8 titles on the professional scene and the year when we won half of the majors on offer. If 2009 even throws up half this success next year, we are store for another fantastic season. Either way, the Irish crowds will be there to support their men, in the hope of further historic achievements. Who would bet against another year of smiling emerald eyes?
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