McDowell keeps Open mind about major league

WHETHER it comes from spending four years at college in the US or not, Graeme McDowell is full of positive thoughts going into his first major championship.

Having won tournaments in each of his first two European Tour seasons, coming on top of a glittering amateur career, it is hardly surprising that McDowell, 25 on July 30, has high hopes tackling the Open Championship at Royal Troon.

Indeed, he says there is no reason why he shouldn't win it.

"The atmosphere is fantastic and as I walked down the 18th fairway, I got a feeling for what it might be like on Sunday evening," he said.

"I want to put myself in position to see what it's like but I have the game to win it. I'm not treating it like anything special, just another golf tournament. I know a low score is going to win, you have to place your ball around the golf course, putt well.

"I've got as good a chance as anyone really. I need to put myself in position for the weekend and see if I can control myself. Playing in the Open is something I have dreamt of all my life and now that I'm here, I'm not going to say it's an anti-climax. It just feels right and I don't feel overexcited. As I say, a low score is going to win so why not me? I have an easy draw, Thomas Levet and Matthew Goggin, I'll be relaxed with them. I might get away under the radar. Who knows?"

Padraig Harrington's neck problem hasn't subsided completely but he is hopeful it will have by tomorrow. He's having treatment and yesterday was the best it's been for a week.

"I have a slight bulge in the C5 in my neck," he explained. "I probably hit too many golf balls last week in the wind and cold. One session went on for four hours. My physio Dale Richardson and the others tell me to reduce the practice. But I have taken the route of keeping up the practice and have a full-time physio with me to deal with the problem."

He has also spent many hours on the Troon links and believes it is one of the fairest courses on the Open rota.

"You don't attach fairness to links courses. They were designed to be a game of mental fortitude rather than anything else. You don't get many bounces off the fairways here. It's not like Royal St Georges. Everybody will feel they have a chance. It's a course that suits everybody."

Tiger Woods didn't pay his customary pre-Open visit to Ireland last week, preferring to stay in Florida.

However, his good friend Mark O'Meara made the trip.

"It was more special than usual because I had my son Shaun with me and John Cook was there with his son," he said. "We fished and played golf and they saw some links courses for the first time. My son is here competing in the Boys Open and shot 79 in the first round. He's 14."