Irish trio going their own ways to Augusta

GOLF:SOME THINGS rarely change, one of which is the anticipation a player feels in the build up to the US Masters, the season's first major. And, for the three Irish players in next week's field, the preparations are widely contrasting: US Open champion Graeme McDowell actually makes a reconnaissance visit to Augusta National today for a practice round; Rory McIlroy is in what he terms "boot camp" in Florida, while Pádraig Harrington is the only one of the trio in action this week, competing in the Shell Houston Open.

McDowell’s pre-Masters visit – which has become something of a tradition, before he returns home to Orlando to finalise preparations – has a wee bit of extra spice in that he missed his first cut of the season in last week’s Bay Hill Invitational, where Scotland’s Martin Laird claimed a second US Tour career win and moved to a career high of 21st in the world rankings.

In describing his experience at Bay Hill as “humbling” and something of “a wake-up call,” G-Mac – who has finished third-third-ninth-sixth-42nd-MC in his six outings on tour so far this year – explained: “My game has been scrappy the last few weeks, my long game a bit ragged and off the boil. I have a bit of work to do before teeing it up at the Masters.”

He continued: “I have time to get ready and that’s the priority right now. My 80 (in the first round at Bay Hill) was hard to take, a little humbling if I am honest and perhaps the wake-up call I needed. I wasn’t very happy with the way I was swinging the club and my iron game was out of control. It was not like me and six weeks ago, when I had my game on a string.

“Maybe I lacked concentration and took my foot off the pedal the last few weeks. The second you start to take golf for granted, it bites you. So, now, I really have to get my focus back. I am fully focused and know that the problem is a technique issue, which can be resolved. I just need to get my head around it.”

McDowell has his coach, Pete Cowen, with him this week as he fine-tunes his game ahead of Augusta, while McIlroy – who has adopted a strategy of three weeks off ahead of the Masters – also has his coach, Michael Bannon, with him in the build-up to the tournament.

Harrington, who has dropped one spot to 36th in the latest world rankings, is part of a strong European presence in Humble, Texas, this week that also features world number two Lee Westwood and Italy’s Francesco Molinari.

In favouring to play the week before a major championship, Harrington remains unsure about the merits of actually winning this week. With an eye on the bigger picture of the Masters, the preference would actually to be in contention without having what he describes as “a long arduous week” adding: “Obviously, if you go out and play and you have a chance to win, you look forward to taking that chance.

“But if I have a tough week, it would certainly change my preparations for (the Masters). It’s an interesting one. But definitely, as always, I need to be out on the golf course, looking at my game and doing the work . . . in weeks like Houston, you want a nice, comfortable, building week where things are nice and solid.

“As I said, if things go your way, you will take your chance and go all out to win. But it would be pleasing to have a solid week, a week like I had in Doral (finishing tied-10th in the WGC-Cadillac) where I played nice golf, solid. I didn’t do anything spectacular in terms of holing putts or getting breaks because you want those things to go your way the week of a major,” he said.

While Harrington is the sole Irishman in action on the US Tour, Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Michael Hoey and Paul McGinley are competing in the Hassan Trophy in Morocco, where Wales’ Rhys Davies is the defending champion. Gary Murphy – who lost his full tour card last year – is competing in the Kenya Open on the Challenge Tour, where former Walker Cup player Niall Kearney is also in the field.