McGinley wins for Valderrama gem

Paul McGinley put his World Cup disappointment behind him by winning the RBS Shot of the Month Award for October.

The Dubliner finished tied for 12th with Padraig Harrington in an erratic World Cup performance in Portugal.

But his 112 yard sand wedge to set up a Volvo Masters clinching birdie at Valderrama’s 17th has put a smile back on his face.

McGinley also earned a cheque for £1000 which he has donated to a cancer and leukaemia support group for children.

CLIC  - Cancer and Leukaemia in Children - is patronised by pal Eddie Jordan and former England striker Gary Lineker.

He said: "It was unquestionably the shot which won the Volvo Masters for me. My caddie and I reckoned that I was probably one ahead of Sergio Garcia so I decided to lay up.

"Everyone who knows Valderrama is aware of the danger lurking around the 17th green.

“My distance control had to be absolutely spot on. I couldn't afford to be short and spin back into the water, or too long and have an impossible downhill fourth shot.

“Fortunately, I got it exactly right and felt very relieved to see the ball close to the hole.”

McGinley knocked his sand wedge to 10 feet and calmly slotted the putt to put the cherry on top of a brilliant season.

He started the season ranked 68th in the world but jumped 50 places to a career high of 18th with that Valderrama victory.

He added: "I would like to donate this award to CLIC as I was staying with Eddie during the week and he was instrumental in my success at Valderrama".

Now McGinley is a serious contender for the European Tour Player of the Year Award with the likes of US Open Champion Michael Campbell and eight times Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie.

He pipped Montgomerie into second place in the Shot of the Month stakes with the Scot seriously considered for his 111 yard eagle two at the eighth hole in the first round of the Volvo Masters.

McGinley has put the clubs away for this year and will not return to action until the Royal Trophy in Bangkok in January.

But Harrington and Darren Clarke still have work to do before they take their winter breaks.
Ulster ace Clarke will travel to South Africa next week for the megabucks Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City.

And Dubliner Harrington will also be globetrotting as he wraps up the season with a trip to Hong Kong for the Omega Hong Kong Open before joining Tiger Woods in the Target World Challenge at Sherwood the following week.

Neither performed well in the majors but with Harrington’s two PGA Tour wins and Clarke’s successful defence of the Visa Taiheiyo Masters in Japan last week, they will be reasonably happy with their seasons.

The 2006 campaign has already begun and Ireland’s Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane and Gary Murphy are definite starters in this week’s Volvo China Open.

Michael Hoey and David Higgins are also entered, as is World Cup winner and defending champion Stephen Dodd.

While partner Bradley Dredge begins his winter break, Dodd is making his second trip out to the Far East in the space of three weeks.

The Welshman played in the the HSBC Champions Tournament in Shanghai earlier his month.