Golf: In Paul McGinley's golfing world, much has changed in 12 months. A year ago this week, the Dubliner - then flying high in the world's top 50 - was completing an adrenalin-rushed three-week odyssey that had seen him play in the US Masters, where he finished a shot outside earning an automatic return invite, and the Seve Trophy by winning the weather-marred Smurfit Irish PGA championship.
By contrast, things have been a good deal more sedate in recent times. In fact, McGinley hasn't played a competitive round of golf since finishing third in the Qatar Masters (which finished on March 14th) and, when he tees up in this week's Canaries Open, it will only be his fifth tournament of the season. Like a child rushing into a toy store, McGinley simply can't wait to get back into the thick of the action.
"I had to accept that the past few weeks would be quiet ones. It's just the way the schedule worked out.
"They were enforced weeks off, and all I could really do was to practise a lot," said McGinley. There was no invite to play in the Players' Championship (he required a top-50 world ranking) and no return to Augusta, which led to a frustrating few weeks for the hero of last year's Ryder Cup. All of which meant that the practice ground became his domain.
He spent a week practising in Portugal - ironically, he decided not to begin his comeback in the Portugese Open last weekend and opted instead to return to London for some intensive work with his coach, Bob Torrance - and has chosen the Canaries as the outpost where he will attempt to kickstart his season again.
After a five-week break from competition, during which the world's elite (where McGinley believes he belongs) have been battling it out for two of the sport's biggest titles, he is effectively starting his season over. "Unlike last year, I couldn't pick and choose where and when I wanted to play," he said.
Having taken in the West Ham match at Upton Park yesterday, McGinley flies out to the Canaries today for a busy schedule that will see him play six tournaments in seven weeks.
McGinley's plan is to play in Tenerife - the course at Costa Adeje is a new one on the European circuit - this week and then take a week off, missing the Italian Open, before taking in a five-week stint on the circuit that begins with the Benson and Hedges (and a return to the scene of his Ryder Cup triumph last year) and then includes the Deutsche Bank TPC of Europe in Germany, the Volvo PGA, the Wales Open and the British Masters.
"The reason I am taking next week off is that I don't want to go back into things hell for leather. I want to pace myself. I've only played four tournaments so far this season and I really want to get competitive again, to get into tournament action. In terms of technique, I believe I am back on track and the work with Bob has gone well.
"The way I look on it, I just want to get four good rounds together this week and head on into the summer because I have a lot to play for. I want to get competitive, and of course I want to move back up the world rankings," he insisted. While the early part of the season has been quiet for McGinley, things will certainly gather pace over the coming two months and on into the summer as he is qualified to play in the British Open and the US PGA - the final two majors of the year - and the NEC Invitational.
McGinley is one of four Irish players in the field for the €1.75 million Canaries Open which starts on Thursday. Graeme McDowell, Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy are also in the field.
European tour Volvo Order of Merit (after the Algarve Portuguese Open): 1 Ernie Els (Rsa) 969,510euros (€663,348), 2 Peter Lonard (Aus) 508,050 (347,613), 3 Adam Scott (Aus) 498,756 (341,254), 4 Padraig Harrington (Irl) 354,935 (242,850), 5 Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 324,626 (222,112), 6 Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 315,591 (215,930), 7 Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 304,677 (208,463), 8 Paul Casey (Eng) 284,823 (194,879), 9 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 283,315 (193,847), 10 Darren Clarke (NIrl) 257,206 (175,982), 11 Darren Fichardt (Rsa) 245,536 (167,998), 12 Tim Clark (Rsa) 240,383 (164,472), 13 James Kingston (Rsa) 237,968 (162,820), 14 Bradley Dredge (Wal) 233,046 (159,452), 15 Arjun Atwal (Ind) 232,323 (158,957), 16 Stephen Leaney (Aus) 229,092 (156,747), 17 Brian Davis (Eng) 208,286 (142,511), 18 Vijay Singh (Fij) 194,660 (133,188), 19 Paul Lawrie (Sco) 193,286 (132,248), 20 David Lynn (Eng) 190,972 (130,664).
World Rankings - 1, T Woods (USA); 2, E Els (SA); 3, D Love (USA); 4, P Mickelson (USA); 5, M Weir (Can); 6, V Singh (Fij); 7, D Toms (USA); 8, R Goosen (SA); 9, J Furyk (USA); 10, P Harrington (Ire). Other Irish placings - 24, D Clarke; 108, P McGinley; 194, G McDowell.
