McDowell has Masters target

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell begins a run of events in America this week he hopes will re-establish him as one of Europe’s brightest prospects.

Rather than mixing it with Tiger Woods and Ernie Els on the European circuit in Dubai, the 26-year-old is at the FBR Open in Scottsdale, Arizona, against a field which contains five more of the world’s top 10 – Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Chris DiMarco and David Toms.

A second place finish in the Bay Hill Invitational last March paved the way for McDowell to earn a US Tour card without having to go to the qualifying school.

Winning a Ryder Cup debut in Dublin in September remains a top priority, but to do that he has to get his world ranking moving in the right direction again.

The former Irish amateur champion was 38th after Bay Hill, but is now back down to 60th and needs to climb 10 places in the next two months to secure a second trip to the Masters in April.

McDowell, set back last summer by a back injury suffered in a car crash, plans to stay in the States for the entire two months.

DiMarco returns to his home tour buoyed by capturing the Abu Dhabi Championship two weeks ago and hopes it will catapult him to his first victory in America since this very event four years ago.

Mickelson is the defending champion, his five-stroke win last February including a second-round 60.

The European contingent also includes Jose Maria Olazabal, who on Sunday lost a play-off to Woods for the Buick Invitational, Jesper Parnevik – who has been in contention the last two weeks – Justin Rose, Brian Davis and Greg Owen.