McDowell takes low road

European Tour: Padraig Harrington's latest American odyssey - a three-week stint up to the US Open at Shinnecock Hills - starts this week with the Memorial tournament in Dublin, Ohio, writes Philip Reid  Golf correspondent

Yet, for others, the road to major fulfilment is a less obvious one that instead takes in the Wales Open at Celtic Manor where Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell are competing after deciding against travelling Stateside to participate in US Open qualifying.

McDowell had originally intended to play in the US Open qualifying at Lake Nona in Florida. However, the Northerner has altered his plans instead to focus on his first guaranteed appearance in a major which will take place at the British Open at Royal Troon next month.

McDowell secured his place in the field via the mini order of merit that ran up to the TPC of Europe and has decided to remain on in Europe playing competitively in the run-up to his major debut.

"I've discussed the situation with my manager (Chubby Chandler) and we've agreed that I am better off staying in Europe," said McDowell, who plays this week's Wales Open and next week's Diageo Championship at Gleneagles before taking a week off, ironically the week of the US Open.

After that, he will play a hectic run of six successive tournaments up to the Scandinavian Masters, with the British Open positioned midway through the sequence.

Interestingly, McDowell has now emerged as the main threat to McGinley - who has been advised by his physio to ease up on his playing schedule and not to compete week in and week out so that his knee recovers from surgery - for a place with Harrington in the World Cup later this season.

Harrington, as the world number eight, is a shoo-in for one place and the other will be decided by the next placed player off the official world rankings.

If he were to include the team event in Spain on his schedule, then Darren Clarke - now up to world number 13 - would obviously claim it. However, Clarke hasn't played in the World Cup since 1996 and isn't expected to include it on his itinerary this year which leaves McGinley - now 111th in the world rankings having started the year in 157th - and McDowell - now 164th having started the season in 234th - to fight it out to be Harrington's partner.

McGinley, a winner of the Wales Open in 2001, the third of his European Tour successes, returns to Celtic Manor for this week's tournament where he fronts an Irish challenge that also includes McDowell, Peter Lawrie, Gary Murphy and Damien McGrane.

McGinley is one of four Ryder Cup players from the 2002 win in the tournament, along with Colin Montgomerie - another who has decided to miss out on US Open qualifying - Phillip Price and Lee Westwood.

Twelve months ago Ian Poulter led from start to finish to capture his fourth European Tour title and is looking to strengthen his claims for a place on the European team for the Ryder Cup match with the US at Oakland Hills, Detroit, in September.

"Obviously I have great memories from last year but being champion means there is added pressure," insisted Poulter.

Harrington, meanwhile, returns to competitive action after missing out on the Volvo PGA for a three-week run in America that will take in the Memorial at Muirfield Village (a course which he believes ideally suits his game), the Buick Classic and, then, the US Open at Shinnecock Hills. Tiger Woods, the world's number one, is also resuming tournament play in the Memorial.

Incidentally, Scott Drummond's shock win in the Volvo PGA has had a huge impact on his world ranking. The Scot has jumped 340 places in the rankings to 95th while runner-up Angel Cabrera moved up 35 places to 43rd and along with Sweden's Joakim Haeggman, who finished third, has earned a place in this month's US Open field.

Darren Clarke has moved up one place to 13th in the latest world rankings but has a week off which is likely to see him glued to the putting green in an effort to find a putting stroke.

"I'm beating my head against a brick wall," lamented a frustrated Clarke who believes he is not converting his share of putting opportunities.

His next scheduled appearance is the Buick Classic at Westchester, the week before the US Open.

EUROPEAN ORDER OF MERIT - Irish positions: 2, D Clarke 859,874; 6, P Harrington 736,740; 14, G McDowell 361,110; 25, P McGinley €280,863; 77, P Lawrie 108,152; 99, D McGrane 73,779; 118, G Murphy €56,666; 216, D Higgins 9,562.