Irelands Damien Mcgrane
McGrane still on track for first win
Saturday, April 19, 2008
A first European Tour victory cannot come soon enough for Damien McGrane's,
who took a three-stroke lead into the final round of the Volvo China Open.
The Irishman has come close on a number of occasions, most recently
finishing second at the Indian Masters two months ago.
He even outscored playing partner Tiger Woods in the third round of
January's Dubai Desert Classic, though the two had contrasting fortunes on
the final day as Woods went on to win the event while McGrane dropped down
the leaderboard to finish tied for 44th.
A victory in six seasons on the Tour has so far eluded the 36-year-old but
he put himself in the ideal position to rectify that today with a
four-under-par 68 at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club.
"I have been close for a number of years now and I am looking for my
first win," said McGrane.
"I have to start somewhere and you start with one, the sooner it comes
the better."
McGrane's putting was impressive throughout and he picked up his first
birdie of the round on the par-three third when he hit a five-iron to the
green before chipping in.
He then added two more at the fourth and fifth before following that up with
two successive bogeys. He hit two more birdies and a bogey after the turn
and then finished the round strongly with birdie putts on the 17th and 18th.
"It is nice to go out as leader and a little cushion is good,"
added McGrane.
"However, it is a tough course and I must play my own game and focus on
what I am doing.
"It will be a good day tomorrow and I expect to continue the good golf
I am playing."
Oliver Wilson and overnight leader Michael Lorenzo-Vera trail McGrane by
three strokes after carding a 70 and 72 respectively.
Mansfield-born Wilson made the ideal start with a birdie on the par-four
first and then picked up another shot on the third.
He bogeyed the par-four fourth but recovered with a birdie at the following
hole and the 27-year-old then shot two birdies against two bogeys coming
home to go eight under overall.
"I was just a little unfortunate that I didn't take advantage of a few
of the shots I missed," said Wilson.
"There were three short ones today which I should not have missed but I
recovered well and it is good to know that I am still not too far away."
Tour rookie Lorenzo-Vera was unable to take the clubhouse lead for the third
successive day after his worst round of the week.
The Frenchman bogeyed the par-four second and though he birdied on the 12th
and 13th he again carded another bogey on the par-four 14th.
Australian Scott Strange chalked up six birdies in an otherwise faultless
round to card the best score of the day with a six-under-par 66 and was six
under overall, while defending champion Markus Brier was four under overall
after carding a level par 72.
David Howell finished one under par after carding double bogeys on the 17th
and 18th and was even par overall.
