McDowell's curve takes upward turn

Like the little girl in the poem, Graeme McDowell knows when he's been very, very good. And last season he was horrid.

But after clawing his way back from the abyss of self-doubt with a blistering performance to share fourth place in the Qatar Masters last weekend, he has regained the swagger that once made Irish golf fans wonder if he was indeed, The Chosen One.

For McDowell, 2006 will stand out as frustrating, white-knuckle ride of emotions that saw him slither down the world rankings, lead the British Open and fade, miss out on a coveted Ryder Cup place, lose his PGA Tour card and generally question his ability to play a game he once tamed with a confidence and panache that bordered on the inspired.

A victory in just his fourth full start on the European Tour in 2002 - the year he won the Haskins Award for most outstanding collegiate golfer in the US - seemed to signal the start of a stellar career that saw him win again in Italy in 2004 and cruise onto the PGA Tour last season.

Suddenly his form deserted him, and it was no wonder he celebrated Sunday's result by rewarding himself with a couple of "celebratory pints" after a month of self-imposed abstinence he attributes to an exercise in self-discipline.

As he stood down the range in Dubai yesterday, up 24 places to 121st in the world rankings, the 27-year-old Portrush native admitted he has learnt almost as much from the tough times as he did from the glory days.

"It was really just a learning experience for me and I am going to treat it like that," he explained candidly. "It has been frustrating - a long, frustrating journey - but I certainly feel like I have come out the other end a smarter guy and someone who is ready to take the next step now.

"Sometimes you have got to do it the hard way. Some of the best learning experiences are the tough times, and that's the way I feel at the moment. I feel that I have learnt a lot.

"Last year was just a vicious circle. It was chasing and chasing and never getting anywhere. I came out, I played badly. I missed a ton of cuts and I really just lost my confidence a little bit, and I came home to Europe with the Ryder Cup qualifying going on and I was just in a hurry to do something big instead of relaxing."

A change of coach from Claude Harmon to Clive Tucker and a second stint with caddie Ken Conboy, former bagman to Thomas Bjorn, has given McDowell a new lease of life and confidence to continue his golfing education in peace.

"I am not in a hurry to do stuff. I am just letting the results get in the way," he added. "There is no doubt I had some technique issues last year and I really didn't get things worked out very well. This year I have had to have a little bit of clear-the-decks and get ready to go again.

"I didn't realise Qatar was my first top 10 for six months, it hasn't felt like that long.

"It is a question of getting my head right and getting everything in order again. It is amazing when you don't get results how you just start looking everywhere and you'll take anyone's opinion. You just start doubting your own ability a little bit."