McDowell ready to take on the world

GRAEME McDOWELL’S ambition of getting into the world’s top 50 before the end of the season is edging ever closer.

He is up to 62nd, having begun the year a lowly 234th, an indication of the massive strides the 25-year-old Portrush man has made in 2004.

He has just two chances to propel himself the extra 12 spots which would make his campaign complete this week's European Tour-ending Volvo Masters at Valderrama and next month's Visa Teiyheo Masters in Japan. He'll be up against some of the game's finest in both events but has discarded any feelings of inferiority and there is hardly a more confident player on the European Tour right now.