Consistency the key to McDowell improvement

GRAEME McDowell’s spectacular final round of 64 that shot him up to a tie for fourth in the French Open at the weekend means that Ireland now has three players in the top ten of the European Tour order of merit.

McDowell picked up €138,600 in Paris and has accumulated €738,521 for the season to date. After a decidedly slow start, he has finished seventh (Madeira), third (Portugal), first (Italy), second (Diageo) and now fourth in France. That's a remarkable level of consistency, while Sunday's 64 demonstrates that he can shoot low numbers when the mood grabs him and the putts begin to drop.

Moreover, he has begun to play himself into genuine contention for a place in the European Ryder Cup team at Oakland Hills in September.