Gribben targets Seniors comeback after home win
PADDY Gribben is targeting a return to international duty for Ireland after he showed the young guns he can still play a bit with a three-shot win in the 36-hole Warrenpoint Senior Scratch Cup by three shots.
The former Walker Cup player – twice reinstated as an amateur after two stints in the professional ranks – believes he could become a senior international next year.
Set to turn 50 in September, he’s certainly got plenty of game, as he showed by shooting a brace of 68s to win by three strokes from Ryan Gribben on six-under-par 136.
“I’ve been talking to Jim Carvill and he’s having a ball with the Irish Senior team,” said Gribben, who returned to the amateur ranks after struggling for two years as a pro and became the first Irish winner of the European Amateur Championship in 1998.
He would go on to win the Eisenhower Trophy in 1998 and the Walker Cup in 1999 before taking another plunge into the paid ranks with little success, eventually rejoining the amateur fold.
“I still love the game,” said the affable Warrenpoint man, who admits that golf has helped him overcome difficulties off the course.
“I look back at certain things and how life was – I was fighting a bit of stuff, that’s all I want to say but I am grateful to be alive today.
“I have to say I got a real buzz out of Sunday. I haven’t felt those competitive juices for such a long time. It was great.
“I just had a feeling,” he said. “I’ve never put a bet on myself in my life and I probably shouldn’t say this but I had a wee tenner each way on myself and my boss had 100 each way.”
If he keeps it up, few who know him would bet against him beating the odds to pull on that Irish jersey one more time. Class, as they say, is permanent. Warrenpoint Senior Scratch Cup (Par 71): 1, 136 Paddy Gribben 68 68; 2, 139 Ryan Gribben 68 71; 3, 143 Rory Leonard 72 71; 4, 144 Hugh O’Hare 76 68; 5, 145 Jamie Fletcher 75 70. Gross, Rd 1 Stephen Coulter 70; Rd 2 Paul Reavey 68. Overall Nett: Hilary Armstrong (2) 144 (75-69).