G-Mac expects tough Ryder battle
Graeme McDowell believes he faces a tough task to book his place on Europe’s 2012 Ryder Cup team.
Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell believes he faces a tough task to book his place in Europe’s team to defend the trophy in Chicago next year.
McDowell secured the winning point at Celtic Manor 12 months ago, capping a brilliant season which also saw him win his first major title in the US Open at Pebble Beach.
He has struggled to reproduce that kind of form since then, but after recently turning to former coach Clive Tucker to revitalise his game, the 32-year-old carded an opening 67 at Kingsbarns to lie just one shot off the lead in the Dunhill Links Championship.
And he admitted the start of the qualifying race for next year’s Ryder Cup at Medinah had also given him the extra motivation he had been looking for.
“For a guy who has been struggling for a little bit of motivation, somehow when the Ryder Cup qualifying went off a few weeks back it gets your attention, starts you focusing and helps you build toward something,” McDowell said.
“I have a huge amount of respect for Ollie (Europe team captain Jose Maria Olazabal) and I want to be part of that Ryder Cup team very badly because I think he’s going to be an unbelievable captain and it’s going to be a great experience that week.
“And I think it’s going to be one of the hardest-fought Ryder Cup teams to be a part of. I know how well I’m going to have to play to be on the team and it’s given me a lot of focus.”
McDowell was one of six players to finish the opening day of the Dunhill pro-am event one shot off the lead, with former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen sharing top spot at six under alongside Austria’s Markus Brier, Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey.
Latest
-
European TourKeith Pelley hits back at 16 players threatening DP World Tour with legal action
Pelley says the sanctions against players who competed in the first LIV Golf event are ‘proportionate’ and ‘fair’.
-
PGA TourJT Poston takes two-shot lead at John Deere Classic
The 29-year-old also became the first player on record to open consecutive Tour events with 62 or better.
-
European TourRyan Fox surprised to be leading after opening round of Horizon Irish Open
The New Zealander carded a flawless 64 to set the pace at Mount Juliet.
-
NewsDefiant Lee Westwood does not believe playing in LIV should harm Ryder Cup hopes
Westwood doesn’t agree with penalties and sanctions.
-
NewsShane Lowry welcomes closer ties between Tours in response to threat from LIV
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour announced the next phase of their strategic alliance.
-
NewsPadraig Harrington fears LIV series poses threat to future of DP World Tour
The US Senior Open champion thinks there is only room for the PGA and one other tour in the world game.
-
NewsSteve Stricker makes Padraig Harrington sweat as Irishman wins US Senior Open
The pair were rival captains in last year’s Ryder Cup in Wisconsin.
-
NewsGolfers warned of further sanctions if they continue to play in LIV breakaway
The DP World Tour has issued fines of £100,000 and tournament bans to its members who played in the inaugural LIV Golf event earlier this month
-
European TourDP World Tour hits members who played inaugural LIV series with £100,000 fines
They have also been banned from several forthcoming tournaments including the Scottish Open.
-
NewsRory McIlroy not impressed as Brooks Koepka becomes latest big name to join LIV
The world number two labelled the players who have joined the new series as “duplicitous” for the way they have handled their breakaway.