McDowell to begin climb back with small steps

GRAEME McDOWELL will go into this evening’s PGA Championship first round looking to reset his expectations after admitting a top-10 finish no longer excited him.

The 2010 US Open champion tees off in Atlanta at 7.05pm Irish time, two years on from his best finish in the year’s final Major, a tie for 10th at Hazeltine. That had been a cause for celebration but his subsequent breakthrough year to Major champion-status and Ryder Cup heroics raised the Portrush golfer’s expectation levels through the roof.

But, after a frustrating 2011, McDowell has finally come down to earth, recalibrating his objectives and searching once again for solid results.

“I was 10th in the US PGA a couple of years ago and that excited me a lot, but it’s got to the point now that 10th in the US PGA would not excite me now, and that’s wrong,” he said.

“I have to readjust my expectations as 10th this week would be a great result for me because you need results to build your confidence and build your momentum.

“So I need to get back to taking little steps that result in big steps. That’s how 2010 came about and I have to get back into reviving that.”

McDowell’s Major form this year has been in line with his season in general, great hopes undermined by poor execution and resulting in missed cuts at both the Masters and British Open, with his US Open title defence the most creditable return with a tie for 14th at Congressional Country Club.

Yet he is now ready to draw a line under it all and look forward.

“I am not trying to analyse my year because it has been a frustrating one, and the more I analyse it, the more frustrated I become,” McDowell said.

“I am trying to move on, and move on with the rest of my year, and be patient and enjoy my golf and keep chipping away and keep working hard and not really put myself under any pressure.”

A key to his success has been his relationship with teacher Pete Cowen and McDowell welcomed Pádraig Harrington’s move to the respected golf coach following the three-time Major champion’s split from Bob Torrance at the Irish Open.

“It doesn’t surprise me as at some point something’s got to snap, and you have to make a change, and you have to go for a different opinion.

“A different set of eyes can be hugely important. Pete’s certainly one of the most successful golf coaches in the world right now. He has a great theory on the golf game, and he will not be looking at Pádraig’s swing and trying to change it.

“Pete is a theory teacher and he should give Pádraig some good feels, and he could be worth a punt this week.”