After a season in the doldrums, Graeme McDowell will embark on his 12th Open Championship having turned something of a corner with his game and slowly rebuilding the belief he can once again contend at the highest level.

IF confidence counts for anything, then Graeme McDowell is a great bet at 14-1 to maintain the recent trend of home victories in the 3 Irish Open.

THE GHOSTS of the many St Andrews legends like Old and Young Tom Morris and Willie Auchterlonie would have nodded approvingly as they watched Graeme McDowell play the last four holes of yesterday’s second round in the Open Championship.

A COUPLE of weeks ago, Graeme McDowell became the first European winner of the US Open in 40 years for two very good reasons.