Different routes, same destination

TOUR SCENE NEWS ROUND-UP:RORY McILROY and Graeme McDowell this week take two different routes but with similar motives to arrive at Congressional in a fortnight's time in tip-top shape for the season's second Major.

The younger – McIlroy – is taking in the Memorial tournament on the US Tour as his final competitive outing ahead of the US Open on June 16th-19th, while the elder – McDowell – is seeking to replicate the journey that took him to the title at Pebble Beach by defending his Wales Open trophy at Celtic Manor, starting on Thursday.

Having led going into the final round at the US Masters last month, and with three third-placed finishes in the previous five Majors, McIlroy – despite the memories of that final round collapse at Augusta – is convinced he will be primed for the latest examination of his big-time nerve.

“I feel as if I’ve figured out a way to approach Major championships. Just look at the performances in my last three or four out of six, I’ve played pretty good at them all. So you’ve just got to prepare well for them and really know every inch of the golf course you’re playing,” said the 22-year-old Ulsterman.

This week’s Jack Nicklaus-promoted Memorial tournament – “one of my favourite weeks of the year,” admitted McIlroy – is a tough test in its own right and, consequently, seen as ideal preparation for the US Open. But McIlroy aims to move on to Washington DC early next week to familiarise himself with Congressional – long, with thick rough – before moving on to finalise his preparations at Pine Valley with the aim of returning to the US Open venue on “the Monday or Tuesday” ahead of the championship.

He added: “I like to take the week off before a Major, to go there and really suss the place out.” McIlroy took in a number of off-course engagements at London over the weekend away from the BMW PGA, including attending the Manchester United-Barcelona Champions League final on Saturday and a performance by Swedish House Mafia on Sunday night, before flying out yesterday to the States.

“I feel like my game is in good shape, it just needs to be a little bit sharper in the scoring end of things. I felt as if I could’ve scored better (at Wentworth) but I can’t ask for more off the tee or ball-striking wise,” said McIlroy, who remains at sixth in the latest world rankings.

McIlroy’s immediate schedule sees him competing at the Memorial this week, then a week off which will see him get acquainted with Congressional, followed by the US Open and than another week’s break before playing in the French Open.

McDowell, dipping his toes into the water stateside this week, is taking the tried and trusted route which led to his Major breakthrough at Pebble Beach. Although he missed the cut (by a shot) at Wentworth, McDowell doesn’t believe the lack of two competitive rounds over the weekend will adversely affect him for the title defence at Celtic Manor this week or, perhaps more pertinently, for the US Open defence.

McDowell, the world number five, explained: “I’m excited the way I’m playing golf right now. I’m striking it good, driving the ball really well. My iron play too is solid. I just need to brush up around the greens. I’m coming into a big summer and I’m very happy with where my game is at now.”

In returning to defend his Wales Open title at Celtic Manor, where he later in the season sank the winning putt for Europe’s Ryder Cup team, McDowell – who has previously paid a reconnaissance visit to Congressional – will take next week off to finalise his preparations.

This week, he is part of a six-man Irish contingent in Wales that also features Shane Lowry, who has moved up to 164th in the world rankings (a jump of 64 places) and to 31st in the Race to Dubai standing on the back of his tied-fourth finish in Wentworth, Michael Hoey, Darren Clarke, Damien McGrane and Colm Moriarty, who earns his place in the field on the back of his top-10 finish in Madeira two weeks ago.

Hoey, who attended the wedding yesterday of Gareth Maybin, has struck a good run of form – following up his win in Madeira with a tied-31st finish in Wentworth – and plans to follow up playing in the Wales Open by qualifying for the British Open, which takes place at Sunningdale next Monday.

Despite deciding not to compete in yesterday’s US Open qualifying at Walton Heath, he intends to expand his ambitions to include that championship in the future. “I’d love to play the US Open, but I would like to qualify from the top-50 in the world,” said Hoey, who has moved from outside the top-300 to a current 215th place.

With Moriarty taking up the opportunity to play on the main tour, there are six Irish players competing in the Karnten Open at Klaugenfurt in Austria on the Challenge Tour this week: Noel Fox, Simon Thornton, Niall Kearney, Jonathan Cauldwell, Michael McGeady and Gary Murphy.