Ulster kid Graeme McDowell is smashing Tiger Woods college scoring records on his way to becoming golf's hottest property.

The Portrush native has blasted his way to six individual titles this season as little University of Alabama (UAB) have made it to the NCAA finals for the second year on the trot.

McDowell is ranked at number one in the Golfstat Cup and the Golfweek rankings ahead of college golf's biggest event ­ the NCAA finals at the Scarlet Course in Columbus Ohio starting on Wednesday (29 May ­ 1 June).

The super-confident Ulster kid is an incredible 68 under for just 13 events this season.

Now he has his sights firmly set on joining Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Curtis Strange, Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard and Woods as winners of the title.

"For myself anywhere inside the top one would be an acceptable finish," he said with a flicker of a smile. "I'd really like to win it. There really has been an illustrious list of past winners and I'm going into this tournament as the number one ranked player in both major polls, which is kind of nice.

"I'm looking to try and notch a win up and I'm just going to play as hard as I can really."

At the end of every season, the Golfstat Cup is awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average in college golf.

Currently, McDowell is ranked number one with a 69.88 scoring average, just ahead of Florida's Camilo Villegas (70.44) and Clemson's D.J. Trahan (70.43).

But his scoring average ranks up with some of the best players in the world including Woods, who averaged 70.61 in his final amateur season of 1995-96.

US tour star Matt Kuchar had a 70.8 in 1997-98 while last year's winner, Bryce Molder had a 69.43 average.

Kuchar has already won on the US PGA tour this season and McDowell is likely to join him in the paid ranks soon ­ the question is exactly when.

While the Golfing Union of Ireland is keen to have McDowell in the Ireland team for the world Team championship in late October, management companies are already queuing up to sign the 22-year-old.

Said IMG spokesman Jason Brightman: "We'd be crazy not to try and sign him. He's a fantastic talent and he's pulverising Tiger's scoring records this season."

For the moment McDowell is concentrating on the NCAA's. But he admits that he is still not sure when to make the move, despite pencilling in a mid-July date earlier this spring.

He said: "I haven't really set an official date. I'm coming home on the June 7 but I'm not a 100 percent sure when I'm turning pro. There are three possibilities - it could be right after the NCAA championships, it could be after the British Open at Muirfield or after the Eisenhower.

"If I win the NCAA's I might turn pro then but I'm not sure. The Golfing Union are one of the people have helped me over the years and I want to give something back to them in the long run. Things like the Eisenhower are making my decision tough right now.

"I know I could play the tour school first stage, play in the Eisenhower in Malaysia and the come back and play stage two but it just depends on how things pan out really.

"I'm trying to weigh up all the options and not rush into anything. But obviously it would be nice to play in the World Team Championship if I'm selected and it would be a be a great experience to be out there in Kuala Lumpur."

For the moment McDowell is concentrating on the NCAA finals and the chance to make a little golfing history.

"The standard is pretty phenomenal," he said. "I'd say that we have some of the best amateur players in the world. There are probably any one of 20 or 25 players that can win it, the talent is incredible when you just look down the rankings list so I'm pretty excited about it."

McDowell has every reason to be excited after some incredible recent form.

Two weeks ago he shot a 19 under total to win the Atlanta Intercollegiate for the third year in a row there and last week backboned the UAB challenge in the NCAA East Regional tournament.

McDowell said: "The NCAA's is huge here if you look at the past winners and what they have gone on to do at professional level. College sport in the US is right up there with professional sports at times. It's a pretty big deal with guys like Charles Howell, David Gossett, and Tiger winning in the last few years.

ABC TV has already interviewed McDowell for his role in leading UAB to the finals for the second time

He confessed: "Yeah, we've been getting a little bit of attention. UAB is pretty unknown golf programme really and we'll be making our second consecutive appearance at the NCAA's.

"Last year was the first time in our history to make it and it's pretty nice to be leading them to two in a row."

A win for McDowell in Jack Nicklaus's hometown could well mean the end of a fine amateur career. The likelihood is that the best is yet to come.

Jones
Don't bet on seeing an Irishman captain the European Ryder Cup side at the K Club in 2006.

That's the view of Bangor professional David Jones, now a member of the European Tour board of directors.

Former tour player Jones thinks we will see one of the giants of the game in the job in 2006.

He said: "You need a statesman-like figure, someone who has been a superstar in this game. In fairness to Des Smyth, Christy O'Connor Jnr or Eamonn Darcy, they were never in that category. They were great players but for the Ryder Cup you need some who has been at the very top. "

Jones recommends appointing a player who can command the respect of all the players and the European Tour but he does not feel that six-time Major winner Nick Faldo will come into the reckoning.

"Faldo has never been that popular," he said. "I don't think he will ever be Ryder Cup captain. Someone like Bernhard Langer, who probably won't qualify to play in 2006, might be a good choice."

St Andrews
Midlander Colm Moriarty can boost his chances of impressing the Great Britain and Ireland selectors in the St Andrews Links Trophy this weekend.

The Athlone man was second in the prestigious Brabazon Trophy in Deal last weekend and he's hoping to keep his form going at the Home of Golf.

GB & I captain Garth McGimpsey has included Moriarty in his initial squad and another good performance could help him secure a place in the line up for the St Andrews Trophy match with Continent of Europe in Lausanne at the end of August.

LGU
Ireland will be the centre of the women's amateur game next year.

The Vagliano Trophy clash between Great Britain and Ireland and the Continent of Europe will take place at Co. Louth from July 25 ­ 26.

But that's not all. From August 20 ­ 22, the Ladies' British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship goes ahead at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, followed by the European Individual Championship at Shannon golf club from August 27 ­ 30.

Long hitter
Ireland's William Hunt-Tyrell is set become the world's biggest hitter.

A former five-handicap amateur from Arklow golf club, Hunt-Tyrell reckons he can hit the ball over 373 yards.

"Sean Fister won the world title with 376 yards 2 inches," he said. "I know I can hit the ball as far."

Fister pocketed a cool $80,000 for winning the title last year, but Hunt-Tyrell is set challenge him for the top prize.

The Irishman blasted a 360-yard drive in qualifying for the Irish finals last and must now win the national title in July to make it to the World Finals in Nevada.

Hunt-Tyrell finished 25th behind Fister last year, but he reckons he can go all the way in 2002.

"The pressure is really on but I have worked hard on my technique and I know that I can do it," he said. "I feel I've got a huge drive in me."

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© Brian Keogh 2002

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