GOLF: THE PAST is all around us here. Behind the 18th green grandstand there is a huge, iconic image of Seve Ballesteros – navy jumper, charismatic grin, fist pump – and, at the entrance, a billboard of Europe's Ryder Cup team from Celtic Manor, with "REUNITED" emblazoned across it, boasts of the current wellbeing of the European Tour.
All three of the Irish players on the billboard – which provides an even more recent reminder of winning deeds and of how the maestro’s legacy lives on – would prefer if past deeds were repeated sooner rather than later, with this week’s BMW PGA Championship over the West Course here in stockbroker country offering an immediate opportunity for two of them, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy.
Both are awaiting a first tour win of the year, but, with respective reminders from the Players and US Masters of what might have been fresh in their memory banks, they are among the favourites for the tour’s flagship title.
Pádraig Harrington, a victim of a hamstring injury, but here as a pre-tournament observer before heading off for a break to the Monaco Grand Prix, must await another day for his chance.
Yesterday, with sunshine and not a hint of ash clouds to spoil the view, McDowell and McIlroy – who’d had a stonily silent encounter in last week’s World Matchplay – were more like their old selves. And given both have secured tickets to Saturday’s Champions League final at Wembley, the focus has returned to the more serious task of rediscovering winning ways.
McDowell’s last win dates back to last October’s Valderrama Masters, McIlroy’s to the Quail Hollow championship some 13 months ago.
Of course, the Ulstermen had gilt-edged opportunities to land big titles in recent months. McDowell’s meltdown at Sawgrass mirrored much of McIlroy’s similar collapse at Augusta.
But, compared to where he was when bombing at the New Orleans Classic earlier this month, McDowell believes he is almost back to where he wants his game to be.
“Wales (Ryder Cup) was probably a 10 out of 10 (in) ball-striking last year,” he said. “Pebble Beach (US Open) was probably a nine-and-a-half out of 10. It was that kind of course that didn’t allow you to ball-strike, you just had to control it and be conservative. New Orleans was about a 0.5 out of 10 . . . and I’m back to playing seven or eight out of 10 right now. I’m happy with my game.”
Since hitting “rock bottom” in New Orleans, McDowell’s rehabilitation – evident for three rounds at Sawgrass and in hitting eight birdies en route to beating McIlroy in the last-16 of the Matchplay in Spain – has brought back some spring into this step.
What brought him to that point?
“I think a bit of complacency with my golf swing. I took my eye off the ball as to good structures and the good techniques that got me to the way I was swinging the club at the end of 2010.
“I’ve learned how fickle the game is, how quickly it can turn around and how patient you’ve got to stay. A – when you’re playing great; and, B – when you’re frustrated. I guess I’ve learned you’ve got to enjoy the good times because this game can be very frustrating.”
McDowell explained too how he had found it difficult to time-manage in his role as a major champion. He’s had to learn to stay away from what he called the “hustle and bustle”: “I like to do a lot of things before Thursday morning. I like to tick a lot of boxes in regards to my preparation and my game, the course, the course strategies and just physically resting up.
“There’s been two or three examples in the last four or five months where I have not felt like I’ve got to the first tee on Thursday ready to go, and I can’t really forgive myself for that. If you’ve spent two or three days running around like an idiot and you don’t play well, then you can’t really accept it.”
Acceptance of a fate is something which McIlroy, too, has had to deal with. Although he admitted to getting a little “hurt” when seeing Charl Schwartzel walk onto the stage donning the Masters green jacket at the Tour Awards’ dinner on Tuesday night, the 22-year-old has shown commendable maturity since that calamitous final round at Augusta.
“It’s tough, it’s tough. But, you know, I’m a big boy. I’ll get over it,” said McIlroy.
Where better than here?
McIlroy – and world number one Lee Westwood – raised some eyebrows and caused some ripples stateside when they decided not to go to Sawgrass. It didn’t fit into his schedule, apparently.
So he comes here fresher and, having worked again with guru Dave Stockton yesterday, there is a greater confidence in his putting stroke.
“It feels very good at the minute. From 10 to 20 feet, I’ve really improved. I don’t take any practice strokes now. One look at the hole, go! Very instinctive.”
McDowell and McIlroy head a strong Irish challenge, which features two players coming in on the back of wins: Darren Clarke, who captured the Iberdrola Open in Mallorca, and Michael Hoey, who claimed the Madeira Islands Open last Sunday.
Shane Lowry, David Higgins, David Mortimer, Gareth Maybin, Damien McGrane, Paul McGinley and Peter Lawrie are also in the field, with Lawrie on standby to return home should his wife, Philippa, who is expecting their fourth child, go into labour.
“Life before money . . . always,” said Lawrie, one of those retaining perspective in a tournament where there is €750,000 on offer to the winner.
