McDowell targets 2006 Ryder Cup

Ulsterman Graeme McDowell is already starting to get questions about the 2006 Ryder Cup – days before the 2004 match starts.

The 25-year-old, a team-mate of Luke Donald’s in the Walker Cup win in America three years ago and, like him with two European Tour wins to his name, has his sights on a third tomorrow.

McDowell took a three-stroke lead into the third round of the Linde German Masters in Cologne, a sparkling 64 yesterday having swept him clear after first round leader Padraig Harrington slipped to a 75.

Two weeks ago McDowell still had a chance to make Bernhard Langer’s line-up with a week of the race to go.

A closing 62, the lowest tournament round of his life, was not enough to give him the win in the BMW International he needed, but it was the start of a real return to form.

“When the Ryder Cup team was announced I was a little disappointed, but I am not going to beat myself up about not making it,” he said.

“I did not realise how realistic making the team was, but I will definitely be working as hard as I can to be there in Ireland in 2006. Everything I do will be geared to it.”

Harrington resumed this morning eight behind on three under, but still positive.

“I am happy with my form,” stated the Dubliner. “You want to be going in the right direction before the Ryder Cup – not playing your best game, but going in the right direction.”

Of the five cup members left in Thomas Levet was best-placed at halfway on six under, while Paul Casey stands four under, Darren Clarke three and Miguel Angel Jimenez level par.

Three others – Colin Montgomerie, Paul McGinley and Ian Poulter – missed the halfway cut.

Poulter led on 16 under par after two days last year, but was a massive 27 shots worse this time, following his opening 76 with a 79 to exit on 11 over. He will now use the weekend to try to forget about it and concentrate on the week ahead – sure to be one of the most exciting of his career.

The same, of course, goes for Montgomerie and McGinley even though they have tasted the Ryder Cup before.

Montgomerie’s 76 for five over came as the High Court in London was granting his ex-wife a “quickie” divorce – they split in April – while McGinley could do no better than seven over and admitted he might have been better taking the week off.