Bumper year for Irish golf

Darren Clarke’s amazing KLM Open victory brought Ireland’s victory haul this year to an incredible 13.

The 2008 season will go down as Ireland’s best ever in the professional ranks with Padraig Harrington winning two majors and Clarke (2 wins), Graeme McDowell (2), Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Michael Hoey, Michael McGeady, Noel Fox, Alan Murray and Michael McGeady adding another 11 victories between them.

Christy O’Connor Senior is Ireland’s most prolific winner with 24 European Tour victories followed by Harrington (14), Clarke (12), Des Smyth (8), Ronan Rafferty (7) and David Feherty (5).

Ireland’s previous best season came in 1989 when Ronan Rafferty (3), Christy O'Connor Jnr and David Feherty racked up five European Tour wins.

Clarke remains fifth in the European Tour’s Carer Earnings charts with €16.54 million banked since 1991.

Scot Colin Montgomerie leads that category with €23.49m, followed by Ernie Els (€21.79m), Padraig Harrington (€19.37m) and Retief Goosen (€18.37m).

13 Irish wins in 2008

European Tour - 8

2 Padraig Harrington (The Open, US PGA)

2 Darren Clarke (KLM Open, BMW Asian Open)

2 Graeme McDowell (Ballantine’s Championship, Barclays Scottish Open)

1 Peter Lawrie (Spanish Open)

1 Damien McGrane (Volvo China Open)

Challenge Tour 2

1 Michael Hoey (Banque Populaire Moroccan Classic)

1 Michael McGeady (SWALEC Wales Challenge)

Europro Tour 3

1 Brian McElhinney (The Shire London Championship)

1 Alan Murray (Collingtree Park Championship)

1 Noel Fox (The Faithlegg Championship)