Paul McGinley understands life's roller-coaster better than most. In his 14th year on tour, his graft and perseverance have been rewarded with a career-high position on the official world rankings - his win in the Volvo Masters moving him up eight places to 18th, an improvement of 50 places since the start of the year - and, in truth, the prospect of even better days ahead if the Dubliner's breakthrough win in a big tournament has the anticipated effect.

As someone who has experienced the cut and thrust of life in the fast lane, Eddie Jordan, for one, is convinced that McGinley has moved up a level and is ready to win more frequently. Indeed, McGinley insisted after his victory in Valderrama that Jordan, who caddied for him at the BMW International in Munich last August and with whom he stayed last week, was "very instrumental in this win".

The reason? McGinley has picked Jordan's brain and learned from his friend's experiences in Formula One.

As Jordan explained: "There are many different sports, and they can all learn from each other. Motor racing psychologically is a very, very tough sport. The mental side is worked on so hard, and I felt that maybe it was something that might be of benefit to Paul. I think we're now seeing a different kind of Paul McGinley than we've seen in the past.

"This is a very major win for him. I'm overjoyed, because I think it has been there all along. It was like a big monkey on his back and he had to get it off. He's sort of lived in the shadows somewhat of great Irish champions, great Irish people, like Darren (Clarke) and Padraig (Harrington) and now he can walk as tall as them. He's a very bright man, and he has good control of his brain. And he has all the shots.

"It was just a matter of putting two and two together and coming up with four."

The McGinley-Jordan connection goes back a long way, and the former F1 owner told of how he first crossed paths with the young golfer when he was setting out on his fledgling professional career.

"My mother was captain of Bray Golf Club and her best friend was a lady called Gretta Sweeney whose next door neighbours in Co Donegal were old man Mick McGinley's family. So, Christ, that's how it all started. It had to be part of Irish folklore . . . I was told to look after this young fellow who was coming to England, and I said, 'I've enough to look after with 200 idiots working at Jordan Grand Prix without looking after him'."

But take him under his wing he did, and the friendship has developed to the extent that McGinley persuaded him to caddy at the BMW in Munich. "People thought it was a joke," said McGinley, "and we were very conscious that we were probably going to be seen that way. But there was a lot to be learned for both of us. I certainly learned a lot. I thought I knew Eddie well after 20 years but I saw a different side of him."

For Jordan, it was a chance to influence McGinley's on-course thinking. "Caddying for Paul is a one-off thing. I'll never do it again but I did it and I felt it made a difference between us. We sat down and talked strategy about how we'd tackle each hole. Rather than him saying, 'I am going to do my best', I told him 'that is no good, I want to see a much more detailed strategic effort about how you structure a win mentally so it comes more naturally in the mind'."

If Jordan's psychological tactics have apparently led to the tougher new McGinley that was evident in Sunday's final round, the player himself deserves the credit for putting it into practice under pressure.

Sunday's victory moved him within touching distance of a place on the Ryder Cup team for next year at The K Club, and also continued an upward graph in his rise in the world to a career-high 18th, just four places behind Padraig Harrington, with whom he teams up in the World Cup at Vilamoura in Portugal in just over two weeks' time.

In working with Bob Torrance before Valderrama, McGinley's coach informed the Dubliner his swing was complete. "Bob never gives you a bum steer. He'll never tell you something that he doesn't really believe, and he told me that technically there's not much more that he can do . . . that certainly is a boost of confidence," said McGinley, who has a week off before playing in next week's HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai. Harrington and Graeme McDowell are also playing in that tournament, but Darren Clarke's participation will depend on the condition of his wife, Heather, who is unwell.

McDowell has slipped to 53rd in the world rankings and may be tempted to add on another event to his schedule after the HSBC in China. "I really want to get into the top 50 before the end of the year," said McDowell, who needs to jump into that elite grouping to earn an invite to the US Masters in April. McDowell is considering playing in either the Hong Kong Open in early December or the following week's Dunhill Championship in South Africa. "The South African tournament is probably the more likely option, but I'll decide after the HSBC," he said.

Harrington, meanwhile, plays in this week's Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta, starting on Thursday. "I'm struggling off the tee with the driver and hopefully I will get it sorted out by the time the tournament starts. East Lake will be a good test," he added.