GOLF: Graeme McDowell's remarkable impact since joining the professional ranks less than two months ago could yet result in the dismantling of Ireland's most successful World Cup partnership.
Since 1997, when they won the World Cup (which is now played under a different format since becoming part of the WGC series), Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley have formed the two-man Irish team. But, with the qualifying process for this year's event due to be completed at the end of next month, McDowell is in position to claim a place in the event - which takes place in Mexico two weeks before Christmas - from McGinley.
Harrington, as the highest ranked Irish player in the world, at number eight, earns one of the two places on the team. The second spot goes to the highest placed Irishman on the PGA European Tour Order of Merit. Currently, that is also Harrington - which means the next highest placed player is entitled to the team place. However, Darren Clarke, is believed to have a number of commitments in the Far East at that time, which means McDowell or McGinley will partner Harrington.
And, currently, McDowell - placed 39th in the Order of Merit - is ahead of the Dubliner, placed 48th, in that particular race. However, McGinley has an opportunity to make up some ground this week by competing in the BMW International in Munich.
Indeed, his attendance in Germany is very much a dual purpose one as McGinley - currently ranked 66th in the world - is also attempting to force his way into the world's top 50 which would gain him entry into the American Express Championship at Mount Juliet. As things stand, he does not qualify to play in that WGC event.
McGinley is one of four Irishmen in the field for Munich, where John Daly defends the title he won a year ago.
Padraig Harrington - "hopefully I'll be fully fit by Thursday," he remarked, having played in the NEC in Seattle with the effects of the neck injury that occurred during the US PGA - was runner-up to Daly last year and will seek to go one place better this time. He plans to take a week's rest after Munich. Des Smyth and David Higgins are also in the field.
McDowell and Clarke, meanwhile, will be competing in this week's Air Canada championship in British Columbia and will remain in North America for next week's Canadian Open championship. An indication of McDowell's swift impact on the professional scene can be gauged from the fact he has risen to 178th in the latest world rankings. His next appearance in Europe won't be until the Linde German Masters on September 12th-15th.
Eamonn Darcy makes his second appearance on the European Seniors Tour in this week's tournament at Slaley Hall, where Denis O'Sullivan, Eddie Polland, David Jones, Liam Higgins, Paul Leonard and Joe McDermott are also competing.
Irish places in Volvo Order of Merit: 3, P Harrington €1,293,619; 17, D Clarke €719,964; 39, G McDowell €384,651; 48, P McGinley €348,318; 129, D Smyth €117,305; 158, E Darcy €67,064; 176, M Hoey €41,043; 182, P Walton €38,240; 183, G Murphy €35,925; 196, R Rafferty €27,970.
Irish places on European Challenge Tour: 12, P Lawrie €43,779; 30, G Murphy €27,382; 31, D McGrane €24,687.
