Irish young guns aiming high

THERE was a time when Irish golf fans would have been dancing in the streets with three players finishing inside the top 10 in a major.

Not any more.

Sunday saw the first time three Irishmen have ever finished in the top 10 in a major.

Pádraig Harrington is only interested in winning these days, while Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell see no reason why they can’t follow in his footsteps.

McIlroy tied for third with Lee Westwood in just his fourth major start as a professional, equalling the best round of the day with a combative 70 that left him three under par.

But winning €303,573 to move to third in the Race to Dubai and 22nd in the world rankings was just window dressing for the 20-year-old Ulster man, who will go into the 2010 Masters with a chance to become the youngest major winner since Tiger Woods took the green jacket in 1997.

“I have a lot to build on. I have a lot of momentum going into the majors next year,” McIlroy said. “This is my first year in the majors and I have learned a few things on the way. That should help me next year to build on this and hopefully get some better finishes than just the Top-10 or Top-5.”

As for McDowell, it is an indication of the height of his ambition that his six-way share of 10th place with the likes of Harrington, left him only partially satisfied.

“I haven’t been on my A game, especially this week,” McDowell said of a major year that yielded top 20s in the Masters and the US Open.

“I haven’t played my best golf this season at all. My full swing hasn’t been there. My short game can still improve. I just haven’t seemed to come to these events firing on all cylinders, so it has not been the best year from a full-swing point of view.

“I’ve got to keep chipping away at that and try to get myself in better form; but to compete when I’m not playing my best, that’s very satisfying.”

McIlroy only made his major championship debut two years ago, finishing tied for 42nd as an amateur in the 2007 Open at Carnoustie before turning professional two months later.

He failed to qualify for any of the majors last year but his incredible finish to the 2008 campaign and this year’s breakthrough victory in Dubai cemented his place in the world’s top 50 and a trip to all four majors.

He came out swinging on his Masters debut, finishing tied 20th at Augusta thanks to a sensational 31 on the back nine on Sunday.

In the US Open at Bethpage Black he shared 10th place without breaking sweat and while he was disappointed that he failed to cope with the wind and finished joint 47th in the Open, he surprised himself in Minnesota.

Struggling with his game before the start, he still made more birdies than Woods and Yang – 17 – and can look to his putting for improvement.

He said: “Considering I only made five birdies last week at Akron, it’s been a bit of a difference. The long course suited me.

“It’s been a great week for me and I’m looking forward to getting home and a couple of weeks off and reflect on the four majors that I’ve played this year. I feel very pleased with the way I played them.

“Coming into this week, I didn’t have my best form or my best game and to finish tied third is a great result for me for the last major of the year. I’m just very satisfied with the way I’ve played all week.”

Take the first hole out of the equation and McIlroy could be heading back to Holywood with the Wanamaker Trophy.

He bogeyed it three days in a row and doubled it on Sunday before storming back. That’s five shots lost and he was five behind champion Yang at the end.

Set to return to join McDowell for the start of the Ryder Cup qualifying campaign in Switzerland in two weeks, McIlroy believes he learned valuable lessons.

He said: “I’ve been very patient. I didn’t get flustered when I made a six at the first. I knew that I had a few chances on the front nine to get it back, and I had four birdies after that on the front nine to turn at two-under.

“To shoot level par on that back nine with this wind, I felt was a really good effort.”

McDowell moved up four spots to 45th in the world and like McIlroy, he reckons he can push on and win a major in the future.

He said: “I’ve learned how to attack these things now. They are different from regular events and you have to work out how to prepare yourself physically and your game.

“I’ve really enjoyed my four majors this year. They have been a lot of fun. I put myself in position a few times and I can build on this and look forward to next year and try win one.”

Next up for both men is the start of the 2010 Ryder Cup qualifying campaign at Omega European Masters in Switzerland in two weeks’ time.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to Europe for the end of the season,” McDowell said. “Race to Dubai is very important to me and Ryder Cup points are very important to me.”