McGinley aims to crash century mark at Malmo

PAUL McGINLEY has yet to achieve his goal of getting back into the top 100 golfers in the world and so gain an invitation to next month's US PGA Championship in Wisconsin.

Fifth place at Baltray over the weekend has made only a marginal difference.

He is now 102nd but hopes to crash the century mark in Malmo, Sweden, when he competes in the Scandinavian Masters later this week. He may also compete in the Dutch Open as he presses for a Ryder Cup berth.

His only way of doing so is through the European points list as he accepts that he won't get a wild card from skipper Bernhard Langer.

"I'll just keep battling away," said McGinley. "I'd love to get into the side and I need big cheques to do it. Finishing 5th at Baltray was alright but I need a lot more than that.

"My game is okay and the last shot I dropped in the Irish Open was at the 3rd in the third round. But I lack momentum. Maybe it will come as a result of today's corporate day with the England rugby team."

Although in the end, another low key winner emerged at Baltray as Brett Rumford followed in the recent footsteps of David Carter, Patrick Sjoland and Soren Hansen, the final day's play received a very positive injection when McGinley and Padraig Harrington entered the last round with a realistic chance of winning.

As it transpired, 16 pars and two birdies weren't enough for McGinley while Harrington's closing 67 still left him four off the pace set by the relatively unknown Rumford. Harrington gave it his very best shot but seemed quite relieved when it was all over.

"I am a hair's breadth away from breaking down physically," he said.

"I need to have a rest. I am pushing it. If I take two weeks off, I can have a week without practicing and then have the following week to practice. I would also get two weeks in the gym. That would be nice. I'd say at the moment it's like a tightrope and the threads are falling off.

"I have one thread left before I do myself a six week injury rather than just a keep-on-top-of-it injury. My physio Dale Richardson has been saying it for weeks but it's hard to listen as he gets me back in shape and back out there."

Those closest to Harrington ardently wish that he would listen to his own words and abide by them. His decision not to go to Scandinavia this week has got to be the right one and his thoughts have already turned to the US PGA at Whistling Straits on the shores of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin.

"From what I hear, it's a beast," said Harrington. "Twenty-yard wide fairways. That's very unusual for the US PGA. It has heavy rough and at over 7,500 yards it's the longest we play, it's got undulating greens and it's soft. Every one of those combinations indicate it's going to be tough so that suits me."

Harrington remains eighth in the world rankings with the underachieving Darren Clarke clinging on to 14th in spite of several disappointing weeks on the trot culminating in a tie for 64th at Baltray.

McGinley and Graeme McDowell are ranked 102nd and 119th respectively. McGinley, McDowell, Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy plan to play in Scandinavia and Holland and then rest up the week of the US PGA.

Meanwhile, Brett Rumford's win at Baltray has bumped him up 114 places in the world rankings to 154th while Carlos Franco, who led the way home in the US Bank Championship on the US Tour in Milwaukee, has rejoined the top 100 in 91st place.

Raphael Jacquelin, who tied Harrington for 2nd in the Irish Open, has crept in at 97th -which must make his inability to make a more serious impression at Baltray all the more galling for McGinley.