Big-game hunter has Ryder Cup in sights

GOLF/Ryder Cup countdown: For a change, Paul McGinley was the picture of serenity. For the past few months, the golfer has been akin to a wound-up clockwork mouse, busily and frantically going about his business in his quest - ultimately a successful one - for a place on Europe's Ryder Cup team.

Yesterday, though, it was back to business of a different sort as the Dubliner was the magnetic attraction at a corporate day for one of his sponsors, Allianz, at the splendidly picturesque Adare Manor resort in Co Limerick.

Instead of attempting to conquer the course under constant pressure, as he has done on three different continents over the summer in his pursuit of points, McGinley eased back from competitive fare to conduct a clinic on the practice range and to also participate in a "Beat The Pro" contest with insurance brokers on the par three 16th hole, a shot mainly over water, but one undertaken by McGinley - for one - with no fear.

Yet, if McGinley could finally relax, it isn't for long. Although he guaranteed his place on Bernhard Langer's team for the match with the Americans at Oakland Hills in Detroit later this month with another top-10 finish in the BMW International in Munich on Sunday, the end of a 10-week stint on the circuit, he has enjoyed the adrenaline rush of competition so much that he has decided to add next week's German Masters in Cologne onto his schedule, before flying out with the official party on Monday week to the States.

The reason for McGinley deciding to resume competition almost immediately is based on his observations of sport over the years. "A little bit like Man United when they won the treble in 1999, they went from big game to big game to big game and they thrived on those big games. I've gone from a lot of adrenaline in the last 10 weeks and I don't want to come right off it and build straight up to it again.

"I want to keep that big-game mentality and I think I will have far more benefit from playing four competitive rounds (in Cologne) than having four days practice and waiting for the Ryder Cup as opposed to going into it competitive, having just played.

"The other thing is that Bernhard has indicated to me that he would like to have me there, because he intends to have a couple of meetings. There's going to be a lot of gossip between the players and a lot of chat as to who is playing with who . . . there'll be a lot of informal discussion between players and between the captain and players and I don't want to miss out on that. I want to be part of it."

However, he has decided not to play in the pro-am and will only fly into Cologne next Wednesday evening, play the tournament, and return home to London on Sunday evening before joining up with the official flight to Detroit the following afternoon.

Indeed, McGinley was so superstitious, and determined not to contemplate the implications of qualifying for the team, that he was only measured for his official gear on Monday last. All other potential players had been measured months ago, but McGinley refused to tempt fate.

He explained: "I was the only one who wouldn't do the fitting, (because) I didn't want to get involved in anything to do with the team until I was in the team. I didn't want to know any colours, didn't want to know anything at all. So, he came up yesterday (Monday) with a wardrobe of stuff for me."

In fact, his wife Alison also left her shopping until yesterday, flying over to Dublin to pick out her outfits at Brown Thomas. "Like me, mentally she wasn't there and didn't want to get involved with buying this and buying that, just in case."

Of the likelihood that McGinley could be expected to team up with Harrington, with whom he has played well in past Seve Trophy tournaments and, of course, with whom he won the World Cup in 1997, McGinley believes there is still a natural bond.

"I enjoy Padraig's company so much off the course as well as on it. We bond as people as well as golfers and I'd like to have the opportunity to play with him again and I've also indicated to Bernhard how well I've got on with Darren before in fourballs.

"Padraig rang me on Sunday night (after he made the team) and we're both going to indicate to Bernhard that we want to play together but if he doesn't think so, or wants to try us with somebody else, we're certainly not going to be offended. Different connotations can happen too . . . it's not like a boyfriend-girlfriend thing, I don't mind sharing him around," quipped McGinley.