At a gangling 6'3" and 13 and a half stone, Eamonn Darcy would have made the most unlikely jockey.

But horse racing's loss was golf's gain and 48 year-old Darcy, one of golf's great thoroughbred talents, is still a couple of lengths clear of the field when he's going at full gallop.

Admired by all the pros and especially by Seve Ballesteros for his spot on ball-striking, Delgany's favourite sporting son is far from finished, despite a nightmare year on tour with the putter.

"It's been so bad that I couldn't even tell you how much I've won this season", he told me this week. "That's how bad it's been, but there's light at the end of the tunnel. And anyway, when you see Mark James and the bad news he's had, well the most important thing is your health. Mark is a good friend of mine and I wish him all the best and a speedy recovery."

The man they call 'the Darce' saw a chink of that light and showed that he still has all the shots when he came home second behind 33 year-old Paul McGinley in last week's Smurfit Irish PGA championship at Baltray.

His 18 under par total included a course record 64 in the second round, an incredible nine under par for the legendary Co. Louth links, that gave the four-time Ryder Cup campaigner the confidence to chase McGinley all the way.

Putting has been Darcy's cross this season and the Wicklow man is keen to get that department of his game sorted out before he hits the magic 50 in August next year and becomes eligible for the cash-rich seniors game. As for his form on the ultra competitive European Tour this season, winnings of just IR£43,316 and an average finish of 90th means that without full playing rights, Eamonn Darcy's 30th year on Tour be dictated by the number of invitations he can get from sponsors and appearances in the European tour events he has won in the past.

"If I was still in the Top 40 money-winners of all-time I'd get an exemption for next season but I've been just outside that for about six months", says the man who has won more the £1.6 million sterling since he hit the tour the tour in 1971.

Says Darcy: "I've only made about seven cuts which makes things impossible and my form has only improved now that season is nearly over which is a shame." In fact that 18 under par blitz at Baltray was hardly a surprise considering that Darcy has made the last two rounds in three of his last four tournaments, picking up cheques that account for over half his prize money this year.

"Hitting the ball is the easy part" he says. "It's the putting that makes the difference these days on the European Tour. It boils down to game of putting and the fella who has the least amount of putts. "It wasn't always that way but look at Lee Westwood. He averages around 28 putts and is near the very top of the putts per round and putts per green in regulation statistics. That's why he's done so well."

Darcy's numbers tell their own story. Ranked 185th with an average of 31.9 putts per round, over three more than the likes of Westwood, Darcy is near the very bottom of the list when it comes to accuracy with the blade.

But his 22nd spot in greens in regulation, where he hits the target over 70.6 percent of the time, leaves him ahead of the likes of Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley or Michael Campbell and shows just what a great player he still is at the age of 48.

Says McGinley" "The Darce has to be one of the greatest 48 year old golfers in the world. He is highly respected amongst all the pros because he just hits the ball so well and can play all the shots." Not that the Wicklow legend he feels old. "Sure 48 is absolutely nothing. I am getting married to my partner Suzanne on December 29 and that will be a big step in my life. After that there is big chance that I will do what Christy O'Connor Junior did and go and play in the US Seniors Tour.

"I already have a few invitations lined up so the idea would be to go out there and try and get my card" he says. But that 50th birthday is still over 10 months away and Darcy is concentrating on recovering his putting game in time for a good finish to 2000 and some class performances next term.

"I putted well at Baltray because I was relaxed, there was no pressure. The European Tour now is much more competitive and if 15 years ago you couldn't putt you had no chance but could still make a living, now that's not true. "I tell any young fellas now to concentrate on the short game, just practice from 80 yards in. The short game and putting are what it's all about."

But Darcy has holed his fair share of putts in his time. Who could forget that slick five footer down the hill that he sank to beat Ben Crenshaw on the 18th in the 1987 Ryder Cup at Muirfield Village and give Tony Jacklin's side a 15-13 win over Jack Nicklaus's USA and back to back victories in the event. "I don't ever think about that to be honest. It was great but you move on and do other things in your career."

Darcy still dreams of horses. He has two fine hunters on what he calls a 'little place I've got here in Enniskerry."

Described by famous golf writer Peter Dobreiner as having a swing like a man "picking a five pound note from a grate with a tongs" Darcy knows that it's not about the way you look but where the ball goes.

"Pretty swings don't make money" he says. "Mine has worked over the years and if the putting is good sure the rest is easy."

It's hard to keep a good man down and old war-horse Darcy is not ready to go out to pasture just yet.

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© Brian Keogh 2000

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