McGinley sets his sights on Europeans

Paul McGinley has probably stood in the shadows cast by his contemporaries - principally Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington - for too long, and he knows it. However, the work ethic which is his trademark has never faltered and, with signs that he is reaping greater dividends in tournament play, which is what matters, the 33-year-old Dubliner is considering revising his immediate tour schedule.

Central to those revised plans is the increased probability that he could figure on the Britain and Ireland team, captained by Colin Montgomerie, that will take on the continent of Europe in the inaugural Seve Ballesteros Trophy match at Sunningdale next month.

As things stand, McGinley is second to Welshman Philip Price in the table to secure the sole automatic place (nine spots have already been filled from last year's moneylist). The Irishman's runner-up finish to Jose Coceres in Dubai moved him just Stg£29,131 behind Price and he maintained: "I've got to keep progressing. It would be nice to secure one of the automatic places, especially as it takes place in Sunningdale, but only one guy off the Order of Merit will make it. It's a pity that current form is not rewarded more."

With that one spot in mind, however, McGinley is considering a change to his plans after competing in this week's Qatar Masters, starting at Doha Golf Club on Thursday.

There are three other counting tournaments after Qatar - the Madeira Island Open and the two new events in Brazil - and McGinley said: "I'll have to sit down with Chubby (Chandler) and work out what to do, but it is likely that I'll be competing somewhere."

That Ballesteros Trophy match provides an immediate target for McGinley, but greater goals lie further down the road.

On Sunday, McGinley was somewhat bemused that his good form of recent months (which has seen him secure five top-five finishes in his last seven tournaments) had not been rewarded with any appreciable improvement in his world ranking. However, Dubai's efforts lifted him from 127th up to 97th when yesterday's latest rankings were announced.

It means he is headed in the right direction, with a goal of a place in the top 50 which brings with it invitations to the World Golf Championship events and the likes of the US Masters, but he remains behind his highest ever placing - 76th in July 1996.

"Last season, that's what I had set out to do but didn't manage it. Padraig (Harrington) did, and that's what I wanted to do. But my game is starting to come together," he said.

McGinley hasn't been afraid to put in the work, or to make changes where necessary.

"I've changed clubs from Cobra to Taylor Made and, while some players seem to struggle when they make an equipment change, I've actually come on. I've also worked hard on my game for the past two years, with my coach Pete Cowen, and it's in really good shape - almost where I want it to be. I reckon I have added on one and a half or two clubs in length with my irons, for instance."

These days, although Clarke has proved to be an exception, most top players are dedicated to tough fitness programmes. And McGinley is no exception, although the programme which he follows is not as intensive as 12 months ago: "I'm still working out in the gym - four times a week when I'm at home, twice a week on tour - but I have weeded out some of the things I used to do and am feeling the benefits for it."

Indeed, the gym that McGinley set up in his garage at Sunningdale, for use by himself and his neighbour Clarke, is one of the factors which he attributes to his increased tournament consistency which has seen him make an impressive start to the 2000 season: Tied-5th (Alfred Dunhill Championship), 18th (South African Open), 27th Greg Norman International, Tied-3rd (Portuguese Open) and Tied-2nd (Dubai Deser Classic).

Yet, while his fitness programme has improved his own conditioning, McGinley pointed to his neighbour Clarke, and his friend's neglect of such work, as evidence that one shouldn't place too much emphasis on it. "How much a part does fitness play in golf?" he asked. "Look at Darren. He's been a big guy with a big, heavy frame ever since I've known him. He has natural strength, and always has had."

McGinley admits that he is spurred on by the competition in the Chandler stable, which also includes Clarke and Lee Westwood. "It's a small, competitive environment. Everyone knows what everyone else is doing - and Chubby keeps the competition going right down the line."

While McGinley joins Des Smyth, Eamonn Darcy, Ronan Rafferty, Gary Murphy and Philip Walton - playing in his first event of the season, courtesy of an invite - in Qatar this week, Clarke is taking a few days' break and has decided to delay until Monday next his departure for America where he will compete in the Bay Hill Invitational.

Indeed, Clarke's next three assignments are all in the United States: he plays Bay Hill and the Players' Championship, travels home to Sunningdale for a week, and then returns for the Masters at Augusta. He will be joined by Harrington in Bay Hill, but that is likely to be the Dubliner's last outing before his Augusta debut.