Has every cloud got a silver lining?

“It wasn’t the best year for me at the majors but there is always next year. I feel progress has been good. I have been hitting the ball well and playing well. I hope there will be more positives by the end of the season.”

Who uttered these words over the last few days? Rory McIlroy? Padraig Harrington? Or was it one of the many other golfers struggling to come to grips with a serious dip in form but adamant they can regain old glories?

In fact, it was McIlroy’s girlfriend, the former world number one tennis player Caroline Wozniacki speaking after she was knocked out of the US Open at Flushing Meadow by a qualifier. It seems the sports psychologists employed by players in both disciplines speak the same language – never admit publicly your game is in a slump and constantly remind the media every cloud has a silver lining. However, when you have been listening to much of the same for the best part of 12 months, it becomes increasingly more difficult.

Her other half is a case in point. The world’s number one golfer by a distance at the beginning of 2013, he is now fourth in the rankings and fortunate to be so. Indeed, he may well suffer the indignity of missing out on the top 30 who qualify for the final event of the FedEx Cup series, the Tour Championship, beginning at East Lake, Atlanta, on Thursday week, should he fail to make a significant impression in this week’s BMW Championship at Conway Farms, Chicago. McIlroy is currently 41st.

While a win this week would ensure a spot in the field at East Lake, it might still not be enough to put him in with a chance of the mouth watering rewards awaiting the play-off champion at the end of next week. Interestingly, with the exception of Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, who has revived his career in sensational fashion and now leads the points list, and US Open champion Justin Rose in 7th, the other Europeans who have made America their home and concentrated for the most part on the PGA Tour haven’t done much better than McIlroy.

Those still standing going into this week are Sergio Garcia, 24th; Lee Westwood, 30th; McIlroy, 41st; Graeme McDowell, 48th; Brian Davis, 49th; Ian Poulter, 52nd and Luke Donald, 54th. Each of the four FedEx qualifiers pays out $8m (€6m) in prize money with over a million for the winner, while the bonus pool amounts to another $35m (€26.5m) with ten for the overall champion.

So, as Jim Furyk did in 2010, a player could win the Tour Championship and the bonus pot and leave $11m (€8.3m) the richer!