Lifetime Achievement Award
Eamonn Darcy receiving his Irish lifetime achievement award at Druids Glen Hotel and Golf Resort in 2018.
Eamonn Christopher Darcy (born 7 August 1952) is an Irish professional golfer.
Eamonn was born in Delgany, County Wicklow. He turned professional in 1968 with high expectations and he went on to win 18 official international tournaments and 4 national wins.
He started playing on the European Tour full-time in the mid-1970s and immediately made a name for himself. He finished third on the Order of Merit in 1975 and made that year’s Ryder Cup team, his first of four performances. The following year he was second on the Order of Merit, only behind Ballesteros.. Eamonn has had four European Tour wins and 13 runner-ups.
Eamonn’s first official win was at the Greater Manchester Open in 1977, handily defeating a trio of British golfers by 8 shots. In the off-season, Darcy would often play on the Australian Tour with much success, winning the 1980 Air New Zealand Shell Open and the 1981 West Lakes Classic. He would also finish runner-up at the 1980 New Zealand Open.
Eamonn was a consistent performer on the European Tour in the 1980s, finishing in the top 30 of the Order of Merit eight times. He won the 1983 Benson & Hedges Spanish Open and 1987 Volvo Belgian Open, shooting a final round 64 to defeat Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam down the stretch. However, his greatest moment may have come at the historic 1987 Ryder Cup. He played on the team that included Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam and Jose Maria Olazabal. Eamonn defeated American Ben Crenshaw on the last hole to secure an individual win and the team’s 13th point. His performance was indispensable as it ultimately determined an outright win and stopped a great American fightback. Europe would win by the score 15–13, the first time on American soil.
Eamonn’s career began to wind down in the 1990s. He recorded his final official victory at the 1991 Emirates Airlines Desert Classic. The following year, he contended for a major championship for the first time at the 1991 Open Championship. He entered the final round just one shot out of the lead. He could not keep up with the rest of the leaders but his even-par 70 was good enough for T-5, his best finish ever in a major.
In 2018 Eamonn was awarded a PGA Lifetime Achievement Award when he was the guest speaker at a dinner attended by 800 people including his Golfing peers, guests and the PGA Executive.