Kevin Phelan: what a difference a month makes!

Phelan however wasted no time in putting that disappointing performance behind him and just a week later recorded the best result of his career with a tie for second at the Joburg Open and a cheque for just over €80,000.

After a promising opening round of 67 at the Africa Open a week later the Waterford golfer faded and had to be content with a tie for 60th place.

The Madeira Islands Open, due to conclude on March 22nd, was cancelled because of very poor weather and so it was on to the Trophee Hassan in Morocco.

Phelan fired three consecutive rounds of 70 to lie just one shot off the pace heading into the final round with a run of five birdies in six holes from the 12th to the 17th the highlight of his second round.

The Waterford golfer will surely be pleased with his performance over the weekend which yielded three birdies and just one bogey on both days.

Phelan had his chances on Sunday and although there were a few missed putts he is starting to look comfortable when in contention.

In the end his closing round of 70 in Morocco was good enough for a share of third place and a cheque for just over €61,000.

Perhaps, more importantly, Phelan has moved to 43rd in the Race To Dubai rankings and is with an excellent chance of securing his tour card.

Clarke after all played in the contest five times and featured on the winning side on four occasions. He was also a vice captain to Colin Montgomerie and José María Olazábal in the European wins in 2010 and 2012.

He made his Ryder Cup debut in Valderrama in 1997 but his most emotional and unforgettable performance was at the K Club in 2006 when just six weeks after his first wife Heather passed away he inspired Europe to another memorable victory.

Plotting another Ryder Cup victory against the United States will certainly occupy much of Clarke’s time over the next year and a half and although the 2011 British Open Champion has a hard act to follow in Paul McGinley he certainly won’t be found wanting in his quest for glory.

Irish golfers have made an incredible contribution to European Ryder Cup success over the years next year’s time could be well represented once again.

If Shane Lowry can build on the form he has displayed on the PGA Tour over the last two weeks then he will certainly join fellow Irish golfers Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell in contention for a place on Clarke’s team.
But for two late bogeys in his closing round at the AT &T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California Lowry would have finished a lot higher than a tie for 21st place.

A week previously he finished in a tie for seventh at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Ranked 76th in the World at the time of last year’s Irish Open where he missed the cut Lowry kick started his year with a tie for fourth at the Scottish open followed by a brilliant tie for ninth at the British Open. Ranked 44th in the World at the end of 2014 the Offaly man has risen to 40th and is due to make his debut at Augusta next in April. A star on the rise without a doubt!

Catherine Power