It's beginning to look nothing more than routine for Irish international and UAB All-American golfer Graeme McDowell. The two-time reigning Conference US Golfer of the Year made it six tournament titles for 2002, when he shot a course-record 63 at Eagle's Landing Country Club to win his third straight Atlanta Intercollegiate title over the weekend.
The 63 also set a career-low for McDowell, one-shot better than his previous best of 64 set last year. The Rathmore player finished 19-under par after rounds of 65, 69 and 63 for the three-round event which gave him an impressive nine-shot triumph over second-place Scott Jamieson of Augusta State.
McDowell's Blazer team, meanwhile, finished seventh in the 13-team field. UAB shot a nine-over-par 297 as the squad had to play with just four players.
Chad Goodwin had to withdraw with a wrist injury, leaving Alan Kaufman needing all four scores from his remaining players. Drew Jones fired a 74 to finish tied for 32nd place, while Ryan Thomas shot his third consecutive 74 to claim a tie for 41st. Senior Craig Gordon shot a disappointing final-round 84 to tie for 57th place.
Auburn won the team title after a last round seven-under par 281 put the Tigers at eight-under par 856 for the tournament. They finished five-shots clear of second-place Florida, who came through the field with a final best of the day 280.
But the story of the day was McDowell. After posting scores of 65 and 69 in the first two rounds, McDowell made it look even easier over the final 18 holes. The win marks his sixth triumph of 2002 and the ninth of his career.
This season, McDowell has brought himself to a new level. He also has seven top-five finishes. McDowell was twice named C-USA Golfer of the Month in February and March and was GolfWorld Magazine's College Player of the Week also in March. McDowell's next assault on the Collegiate scene is at NCAA East Regional, which will kick off on Thursday in Atlanta.
Meanwhile, Ireland's elite squad will be anxious to impress at the Brabazon Trophy at Royal Cinque Ports in Kent. With places on the Irish Eisenhower Trophy team and the Britain and Ireland St Andrews Trophy team at stake, this is another opportunity to impress the selectors.
Ireland will have their full elite squad - Johnny Foster (Ballyclare), Justin Kehoe (Birr), Andrew McCormick (Scrabo), Gavin McNeill (Waterford), Colm Moriarty (Athlone) and Tim Rice (Limerick) - in the field of 120.
Moriarty, McNeill and McCormick are already part of Garth McGimpsey's Walker Cup squad and the Brabazon Trophy is another high-profile event that will give other players the opportunity to impress.
The women's tournament scene moves to Co Louth tomorrow, Thursday and Friday for the MacGregor sponsored Leinster championship and the home players, fresh from their Senior Cup success at the new Headfort course last week, will be keen to continue the momentum.
Deirdre Smith, Jenny Gannon, Susan Mullaney, Patricia Nannery and Oonagh Purfield have their sights on the title now that the holder Allison Coffey from Warrenpoint is not in the field.
Coffey, the reigning Irish champion, has taken a year out to consolidate her place as one of the top players in Britain and Ireland. The immediate aim of the Warrenpoint player is a place on the Curtus Cup team to play the US in Pittsburg in August and the World Cup in Malaysia in October.
Cork's Claire Coughlan, Sinead Keane and last year's finalist Maura Morris from the Curragh are all capable of taking the title while the younger brigade of Tara Delaney (Carlow), Gillian O'Leary (Cork), Irish Girls' champion Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne) and Heather Nolan (Shannon) may have a big say in the final outcome.
