A man with the drive to win

WHEN it comes to choosing the young Irish golfer most likely to fill the shoes of the modern stars like Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke, it is difficult to look beyond Graeme McDowell, the former amateur star from the Rathmore club in Portrush.

McDowell demonstrated the point again yesterday when he opened the Smurfit European Open with a fine round of 69 that leaves him in close contact with the leaders and looking forward to a lucrative weekend. McDowell seems to have everything to see him realise some lofty ambitions, chief among them being a cool disposition, a fine swing that enables him to hit the ball a long way, a sharp, short game and a keen work ethic.

He also has time on his side. He celebrates his 24th birthday on July 30 and is avidly looking forward to a four-week stint that may well indicate if he is on the way to realising the promise of a short but remarkably successful amateur career. His list of honours is headed by the Irish Close, Irish Youths, South of Ireland and World Collegiate Championships in the golden year of 2000. He also created a huge impression in his time at the University of Alabama where he was the number one ranked collegiate player in 2002 while he was also a key member of the British & Irish team that defeated the USA in the 2001 Walker Cup match at Sea Island, Georgia.