Clubs switch drives G-Mac
McDowell and his managementteam, Horizon Sports led byConor Ridge and ColinMorrissey, haven’t been slow incapitalising on the Portrushgolfer’s remarkableachievements in 2010.The switch to the Japanesecompany Srixon is said tobe worth €2.25m perannum over a number ofyears and is the first ofseveral similarannouncements in the pipeline. The contract means that G-Mac will play Srixon clubs and balls and the renowned wedges of the company’s sister company, Cleveland.
A number of successful golfers have suffered in the past when changing from one set of clubs to another. On the face of it, it’s not easy to see how new equipment can help McDowell improve on all he accomplished last year, although it should help that he will still be free to continue with his trusty Callaway FT-3 driver.
McDowell is laden down with an extraordinary number of accolades in recognition of his US Open and Wales Open, Andalucia Masters and Chevron World Challenge successes, and his pivotal role in Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph. The MBE that came his way in the Queens’s New Year’s honours list followed on his share of the European Tour’s Player of the Year award with Martin Kaymer; the Player of the Year award from both the Association of Golf Writers and the Irish Golf Writers Association and RTE’s Sports Person of the Year.
Now it’s back to business, with McDowell opting to take a shorter-than-usual winter break to capitalise on his place in the Tournament of Champions event starting over the spectacular Plantation Course in Hawaii on Thursday.
The tournament, which carries a prize fund of $5.6 million (€4.185m) with $1.12 million for the winner, is sponsored for the first of a three-year deal by Hyundai and is reverting to an old format, with the field confined to tournament winners on the PGA Tour in 2010.
This concept was launched in Las Vegas in 1953 and continued until 1994. The US Tour are delighted at its return although Hyundai are probably not quite as enthusiastic, given that Tiger Woods failed to win last year and so isn’t eligible!
The absence of Open champion Louis Oosthuizen will hardly be noticed by the majority of Americans — he is giving preference to the Africa Open in his native country — while US PGA champion Martin Kaymer and Quail Hollow Championship winner Rory McIlroy and St Jude Classic winner and current world number one Lee Westwood are others to miss out as they are not members of the US Tour.
Moreover, Masters champion Phil Mickelson is also waiting another few weeks before starting his campaign.
McDowell struggled in his previous year of membership of the PGA Tour in 2006 but leads a strong European challenge in Hawaii completed by Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Francesco Molinari. South Africa is well represented by Ernie Els, already a winner on the 2011 European schedule after his victory before Christmas in the Alfred Dunhill Championship, while Australian Geoff Ogilvy, winner of each of the last two tournaments over the Plantation course, may well be the one to beat.
Among the American Ryder Cup players in the field are Dustin and Zach Johnson, Steve Stricker, Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson and Jim Furyk, who begins a new contract this week, with TaylorMade having been replaced at Srixon by McDowell..
Meanwhile, the recently engaged Darren Clarke is hoping for further cheer when he tees it up in East London in the Africa Open, a €1 million tournament co-sanctioned by the European and Sunshine Tours. The 45 year-old Ulsterman last month popped the question to former Miss Northern Ireland beauty queen and model agency boss Alison Campbell and before the nuptials take place later this year, he’s intent on improving on his current world ranking of 98th.
He has invariably done well in Africa, finishing third and fourth in the 2008 South African and Joburg Opens, 2nd in the Joburg in 2009 and chasing Retief Goosen home in last year’s Africa Open.
“It’s been more than two years since I last won (the 2008 Asian and Dutch Opens) but I am determined to break back and I hope the Africa Open will give me the kick start I had last year,” he said.
“It’s always good to start the season with a solid result and I’ve enjoyed starting my campaign with the Africa Open over the last two years.
“I had four top tens last season including second both in the Joburg and Scottish Opens and finished 30th in the Race to Dubai order of merit but I want to improve on that this year and of course to shoot up the world rankings as well.”
Having returned to live in Portrush, become engaged and with his two boys Tyrone (12) and Conor (10) happily enrolled at Dalriada College, Clarke seems perfectly set up for the season ahead — that can’t harm his prospects of achieving the goals he has set for himself.
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