Ewen Murray on Richard Finch making a splash and how golf raised cash for Steve Webster's charity.
Finch not the only winner after a memorable couple of days
Ireland did not get another win in front of their own fans last week, but the finish at Adare Manor was nothing less than sensational.
Their new champion, Richard Finch, took on a shot that quite simply he did not have to and in doing so ended up in the River Maigge. It could have been so different had he stayed on dry land and the ball ended up at the foot of the river bed.
The lie he had was good and he obviously thought he could produce the required shot. In the end he was right, but what drama!
The closing hole at Adare Manor is just under 550 yards. Often through this column, I have said you cannot defeat the players by adding yards, but you can test them by narrowing the targets.
Although Adare's set up was questionable in places, their final offering has created much history in just a couple of years, and Richard's third shot on the final day will be replayed for many a year. In the future, it will do him no harm as he will always be remembered for the new addition of Ireland's Riverdance!
Richard, of course was not the only player to have problems with this wonderful par five. Darren Clarke came to the 18th on Saturday needing a four to be in the penultimate group on Sunday. After a pushed drive, he hooked his second around a tree only to find the bunker. Semi-plugged, he took the third shot on only to thin it over the green and out of bounds, it ended up as a triple-bogey eight.
He bounced back the next day from a horror start, five-over after five and was level par for the round standing on the 18th tee. A good drive was followed by a decent second that came up a yard shy and off it went down the hill to find a watery grave. To his credit, he saw the funny side and congratulated himself for managing an "eagle six!" Two fours, and he would have finished second, instead, he was tied 16th.
Closing holes like Adare's 18th are superb because so much can happen. We had everything from a three to an eight during the week. Spare a thought for Eduardo Molinari. Nicely placed standing on the 16th tee, a par three of around 180 yards over water, the Italian walked to the 17th having taken 10! Water strikes fear into the heart of any golfer. That's the way its been, and that's the way it will always be.
Fitting tribute
My column is a little later than normal this week for a very good reason. Having arrived back from Shannon late on Sunday, I drove to Mill Ride golf club by Ascot in Surrey on Monday morning for a Pro-Am. This was no ordinary Pro-Am.
A year ago, one of my close friends on tour, Steve Webster lost his mum to cancer.
Steve wanted to have a memorial day for Val Webster with the proceeds going to St Giles Hospice in Whittington near Lichfield, where Val was cared for during her final weeks. Steve, his dad Terry and Golf Management International put on a show that Val would have been proud of and it was a fitting tribute to her memory.
World number five, Adam Scott flew over from the States to play and donated a round of golf with him at his home club, Queenwood. David Howell did the same. Ernie Els donated a signed golf bag and driver, there were places in the British Masters Pro-Am to play alongside Steve, a hand-made cabinet in ebony wood from an Irish friend along with many other interesting items.
Steve's colleagues from the fairways were there. Tournament players' chairman, Thomas Bjorn, Ross Fisher, Paul Broadhurst, Richard Bland, Philip Archer, Nick Dougherty, Jamie Donaldson, to name just a few.
After the golf, dinner was held in a marquee by the clubhouse and the auction raised just over £70,000. Driving home, I thought how wonderful this game is and I'm sure St Giles will put this donation to good use and help those less fortunate than ourselves.
I also thought professional golfers are the salt of the earth. Many of them had met Val Webster over the last few years, some had stayed or had dinner in her house while playing at the Forest of Arden or the Belfry. Their lives are of course busy with all of the travelling that is involved in today's tour, but to see them play for Val and other sufferers of this awful disease was humbling.
It was emotional for both Steve and Terry as they continue with their lives, but with friends like this, they will heal quicker.. Val was one of life's great people, a joy to be in the company of, and she made the best Yorkshire puddings in the country!
The showcase event of the European Tour gets underway this week and the BMW PGA Championship will be another roaring success at Wentworth. This event is part of
Sky Sports'golf coverage from next season. Next week, our cameras are in Wales as the 2010 course, that will host the next Ryder Cup, makes is debut on the world stage. The season is gathering momentum.
Your feedback
Finally, thank you for your thoughts on certain issues in last weeks column and I shall try to explain what they are about.
Scott Bannerman wrote in about the idiots that shout, "get in the hole". Sadly Scott, those who make that infuriating shout seemingly tape the golf and replay it at home so they can hear their own voice on the television... sad and true.
The PGA Tour should do something about this as it is not in keeping with the image of our game, and believe me, when you have headphones on, it's much worse than hearing it through the TV.
Paul Webb asked, why do commentators say, "great golf shot" as opposed to just good shot. I have no explanation for that. Truly great shots are few and far between and that phrase should be reserved for them as a way of punctuating just how great the shot was.
I remember using it in the US Open at Shinnecock when Corey Pavin played the shot of his life to win his national championship, but I agree, in general play it is not necessary.
