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.