McGinley can narrow gap in Ryder race

ALTHOUGH disappointed at failing to make the best of the favourable early morning conditions, Paul McGinley goes into the final two rounds of the US PGA at Whistling Straits on one under par.

He is now in a position to improve his prospects of playing himself into the top ten in the European Ryder Cup points list in a fortnight’s time.

McGinley, who stands one under par for 36 holes after yesterday’s 74, admitted he didn’t play as well as on Thursday, but maintained the course was also playing a lot tougher.

The PGA, after 39 players broke par on Thursday, pushed the tees back so they were playing a course of 7,597 yards and also tucked the pins away on many greens. Once again, the wind was only a minor distraction except it was blowing from a different point, thus posing a deeper examination.

McGinley felt his 74 should have been 71 but no better, a fair point given that he hit only 50% of the fairways and 43% of the greens in regulation.

He confessed to a “stupid” double bogey at the 361 yards par four 10th and he also three putted three times.

But he’s through to the weekend, finds himself in the middle of the pack and set to narrow the gap between himself and some of those ahead of him in the Ryder Cup race. Joakim Haeggman, currently 10th in the points list, missed the cut, Thomas Bjorn withdrew and there is not a whole lot between McGinley and Brian Davis, Raphael Jacquelin, Fredrik Jacobsson and Jeff Remesy.

Furthermore, he is guaranteed $25,000 even if he finishes last in next week’s $6.75m WGC-NEC Championship in Akron, Ohio, whereas Davis, Jacquelin, Remesy, Haeggman, Ian Poulter and David Howell won’t be there and there’s also a good chance Bjorn will withdraw because of the injury that kept him out this week.

So the importance of the weekend cannot be overstated.

“A 74 doesn’t look like a very good score but the course is a hell of a lot tougher today,” said McGinley.

“Three three putts and a double bogey - when you put those into the equation, 74 wasn’t a bad result. It’s understandable they toughened the place up. It’s a major championship.

“If I’m going to make the team, I have to make up some ground and so I’ll need some high finishes. That’s at the forefront of my mind except I’ll put it to the back of my mind when I go out tomorrow and play. If the course gets tricky, the greens get firm and the wind blows, two 71s would propel you right up the leaderboard.

“If it was like Thursday, and it’s yielding birdies, then you can go for it but I won’t necessarily do so. As the song goes, you have to know when to hold them and know when to fold them and that’s such a huge part of professional golf.

“A lot will depend on the way the course is set up. It was set up to play aggressively in the first round. Today, we had to back off a lot of shots. There were difficult pin positions and I expect it to be much the same through the weekend. It’s a major and there’s a lot at stake. I will need to give the course the respect I didn’t always give it. I hit it in the rough at the 10th and had only 105 yards to the pin.

“Instead of just nudging it up the right side to 30 feet and two putting and getting out of there, I tried to hit a high floater to get it near the pin on the left front side. I missed it on the short side, had a horrendous lie in the bunker and had to come out backwards and it was just a case of the course jumping up and biting me.”

Still on the subject of the Ryder Cup, Luke Donald has improved his chances of a wild card pick from skipper Bernhard Langer by completing the 36 holes in four under par.

Indecision in club selection cost him in yesterday’s 73 but he faces into the weekend with quiet confidence.

He pointed out: “My best major was 18th at Bethpage two years ago in the US Open. I was never threatening the lead but I’ve improved a lot since and my game feels good. I should be in a pretty strong position if the weather stays like this. If I continue to putt well, then I will be right there.”

Donald will almost certainly need a wild card pick from Langer and the same applies to Colin Montgomerie who, if well-informed sources can be relied upon, is no certainty for a pick. He is through to the weekend on one over par following yesterday’s 72.