Ulster hotshot Graeme McDowell hopes to hit the jackpot in Las Vegas next month and get back to the big time.

The Portrush starlet, 24, made an incredible pro debut in 2002 when he won an event on the European Tour in just his sixth professional start.

But after a disappointing season this year he's turned to top coach Butch Harmon to revive his fortunes.

McDowell missed the cut in half the tournaments he entered in 2003 and fell to 96th in the European Tour money list.

But he believes that by surrounding himself with a support team that will include Harmon, a physical fitness instructor and a psychologist, he can win again.

He said: "I'm really excited about seeing Butch. I'll head over to Vegas on December 5 and 6 and then take some time off over the winter to get ready.

"I'm not going to play until Thailand next year. I'm getting a team around me this time because on the tour these days you need lots of support.

"I've got a psychologist and a fitness guy now and I'll also be seeing Butch in the States and hopefully I can work with his brother Claude Harmon in Europe."

McDowell felt isolated on tour this year when his swing deserted him and he had no access to his former American college coach.

He confessed: "There was nobody I could work with when it went wrong. I couldn't work it out on the tour with my coach so far away and I started listening to too many different people.

"I've been pretty consistent and when I missed the cut it was only by a shot or so. It wasn't as if my scores were shocking or anything but I played really well in April, May and June and then played a run of events poorly."

McDowell doesn't plan to let that happen again and has decided to take a leaf out of Darren Clarke's book and surround himself with experts.

He added: "When the results are not going your way you start to question things in your game and I was listening to too many people. That's why it's vital to have a solid team.

"For fitness I will have a similar guy to Darren - an ex rugby league player called Adam Griffin who has made a out a programme for me. I've worked out on and off over the years but you need everything to get an edge at this level."

The top college player in the US in 2001, McDowell stormed the pro ranks last year with a debut win in the Volvo Scandinavian Masters.

And he admits that the level of expectation he generated backfired on him his season.

He said: "Reflecting on this year I think you have to put it in perspective. If this had been my rookie year, or my first year with a card, it was a pretty decent performance. But because I won in Scandinavian Masters in my first year it looks as if it has been a disappointing year.

"Disappointing is not the word. It's more like frustration. My game has been there or thereabouts but there is nothing worse than sitting in an airport on a Friday evening.

"That's why I am sorting these things out. I'll be using a psychologist too because even though I am very positive, my problem has perhaps not being able to get enough adrenaline going in the first two rounds."

A fearless front-runner, McDowell is learning just how tough to is to play at the highest level for weeks in a row.

He explained: "When I get into contention I seem to do well. But that's all part of being out on the tour for so many weeks. You can get complacent about what you are doing. Some weeks it doesn't feel right and you just have to be very disciplined to get the most out of your game.

"I've learned so much more this year than last year. The struggling and the frustration is just part of the dark side of golf.

"If you look at Lee Westwood. It was a phenomenal feat to turn things around the way he did. Probably no other golfer in the world has fallen as far down apart from David Duval.

"Lee has something special and it just shows you what you can do if you get a good team around you and then work hard. Darren is the same. He is working harder than ever because at this the level is going up all the time."

McDowell's short-term goal is to win "a couple of times" in 2004 before targeting the Majors and the Ryder Cup.

He said: "I already have a level of consistency and my goal is just to make an effort to be up for every day.

"Long term I'm looking at the Ryder Cup and playing in the Majors but if I play well those things will take care of themselves."

Fellow Portrush resident Clarke has been a huge inspiration for McDowell so far in his career and the younger man is determined not keep pace.

McDowell explained; "Darren played well in the second half of the year and has started to work out. He's playing as good as I've ever seen him play. He's stepping up a notch and that's what I have to do if I want to take my game to the next level."

If he has enough desire to match his talent, McDowell could be the man to watch in 2004.

(PGA TOUR School)
Birr's Richie Coughlan kept pace with the leaders in the second round of the PGA Tour Qualifying School in Florida.

Just two rounds away from a place in next month's finals, Coughlan hit a 71 at the World Golf Village in St Augustine.

He's six shots behind leader Steve Hart in joint 19th place and must finish in the top 20 and ties to advance to the finals.

Kerry's Sean Quinlivan jumped into a tie for 28th alongside former Volvo PGA champion Andrew Oldcorn after a 69.

But the dream is over for Ulster's Chris Devlin who carded a 77 and slumped to second last of the 80 entrants.

(Harrington)
Padraig Harrington is set to ignore the crocodiles and prove that his incredible 61 in the 2001 Nedbank Challenge at Sun City was no flash in the pan.

Harrington will be back at the Gary Player Country Club course alongside Darren Clarke where an elite 18 man field will play for a massive $3 million purse.

The winner will pocket the biggest cheque in golf - a cool $1.2 million - at a course where the crocodiles and snakes are hazards to be avoided.

Amazingly, this year's winner will take away $800,000 less than last year's champion Ernie Els.

First prize has been reduced so that the money can be more evenly divided between the 18-man field.

And that's good news for Harrington and Clarke who will earn $75,000 each just to tee it up.

Harrington has every reason to believe that he can improve on a dismal performance last year.

He fired an event record 12 birdies in that 61 in 2001 but his round was not ratified as a new record because there was placing on the fairways.

The Million Dollar, as it is sometimes known, has attracted a stellar field, which includes Els, Vijay Singh, David Toms, Retief Goosen, Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott, Charles Howell III as well as the Irish duo.

(McGinley)

Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley put a disappointing season behind him and announced that he's taking two months off to recharge his batteries.

After a poor year, the Dubliner put away the clubs after partnering Padraig Harrington to a share of fifth place in the EMC World Cup at Kiawah Island last week.

He said: "I'm done now. I'll take eight weeks off and start again in the third week in January in South Africa. I'm going to take a break, go on a family holiday and then get down to doing some practice.

"I have work to do on my game. It's been an average year for me and I'm keen to play better next year."

(Club of year)

Dunmurry is the AIB All Ireland Golf Club of the Year for 2003.

The Ulster club was also the winner of the Junior Golf award with Charlesland (Environment), Elm Park (Clubhouse/Course Presentation) and Bantry Bay (Communications) also rewarded for their work.

(Clarke for Omega Hong Kong Open)

Slim line Darren Clarke believes that his weight loss has made him hungry - for success.

The World No11 will begin 2004 his campaign next month when he lines up in the first counting event on the European Tour, the Omega Hong Kong Open.

But after his debut performance in the US Tour Championship recently, Clarke is eager to keep on improving his fitness.

And that's why he has continued to shed weight since he started working out with former rugby league star Steve Hampson.

He said: "Getting into the Tour Championship this year has left me wanting more.

"It is a guide to my standing in the game because only the top 30 from their money list qualify.

"With every season that passes, I get more and more comfortable with where I am and I honestly believe that next year will be a big one in my sporting life."

Clarke, 35, will join Padraig Harrington, Nick Faldo, Michael Campbell and Jose Maria Olazabal in Hong Kong from December 4-7.

(Amex)

Irish golf fans have already started to stuff their Christmas stockings - with tickets to see Tiger Woods at Mount Juliet.

The world No1 will be bidding for a hat trick of WGC American Express Championship at the superb Kilkenny venue next year.

Woods won the championship in front of record crowds at Mount Juliet in 2002 and successfully defended his title in Atlanta earlier this year.

The prize fund has risen to $7 million with a record first prize of $1.2 million for the champion.

A season ticket to see the world's best players from September 30 to October 3 costs ¤120.

(Amateur)

The AIB Irish Amateur Open is fast becoming a training ground for future tours stars - but not if they are Irish.

The 2001 champion, England's Richard McEvoy, scorched to victory in last week's European Tour School finals.

And there was also a card for South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen, who took the title at Royal Dublin in 2002.

Oosthuizen will join his former amateur pals Richard Sterne and Charl Schwarzel on tour, just two years after their appearance at the Dollymount course.

But recent homegrown champions such as Noel Fox, Michael Hoey and Gary Cullen have so far failed to make through the dreaded School.

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© Brian Keogh 2003

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