Saturday, September 25, 2010

Monty won't repeat Faldo mistakes -

Graeme McDowell

FROM THE HERALDSCOTLAND WEBSITE
By DOUGLAS LOWE
Graeme McDowell, one of the few successes among the defeated European Ryder Cup team two years ago at Valhalla, is confident that the mistakes made with captain Nick Faldo in Kentucky will not be repeated under Colin Montgomerie’s charge at Celtic Manor, Wales, next week.
Little has been revealed about what happened in the team room at Valhalla, where Paul Azinger’s Americans ended a run of three defeats in a row with an emphatic 16½-11½ victory. But McDowell has talked about a lack of passion and energy, a collective sense of dismay at the dropping of Lee Westwood on the Saturday morning, and preparation that was far too rushed.

McDowell, talking from his home in Portrush, Northern Ireland, in a Ryder Cup conference call, said he was confident that not only would the organisation be better this time, but there would be a strong team dynamic that was missing two years ago.

Montgomerie has told McDowell and his team-mates that they must be at Celtic Manor by Monday lunchtime to begin preparation for the matches that begin on Friday.

“At Valhalla we arrived on the Tuesday,” recalled McDowell. “Wednesday and Thursday were very busy days and, by the time Friday came around, everything was a bit of a blur. This time our build-up is going to be more relaxed, more organised and without having to travel to the States that makes it a lot easier anyway.

Jose Maria Olazabal made a great speech on Saturday night. That was the first emotional speech we had the whole week Graeme McDowell
“Monty is running a good ship and the backroom staff are going to make a big difference this time as well. Having guys like Thomas [Bjorn], Darren [Clarke] and Paul [McGinley] – and wee Sergio [Garcia] as well – is going to be unbelievable. We’re definitely a lot more organised.

“At Valhalla, maybe just that extra spark in the team room was missing. Sergio had been sick the week before and was on antibiotics. Westwood got dropped on Saturday morning, and a guy like that needs to be playing every game. We just didn’t have that x-factor in the team room, someone to stand up and rally the troops.

“Jose Maria [Olazabal, Faldo’s only assistant] got up on Saturday night and made a great speech when the singles line-up came out. That was the first emotional speech we had the whole week. I think we’ll have the extra dynamic in the team room this time round. Our backroom staff will help to make sure we have that passion and really get guys up from it from the word go.

“We had a great team at Valhalla; we just were outplayed by a great US team. If everything had been perfect and we had that extra dynamic we could still have lost. I’m really excited to have another go. It was an amazing experience. The only thing we missed was the Ryder Cup trophy on the flight home.”

McDowell won 2½ points out of four in Kentucky in what was his rookie Ryder Cup experience. This time he comes into the match with his US Open triumph at Pebble Beach behind him and a much bigger role to play, especially having won the Celtic Manor Wales Open over the Ryder Cup course in June.

“I feel I’m a more integral part of the team, and I’m expecting to play, if not five games then three or four. I’ve always enjoyed team golf up to Walker Cup and college.

“We play so much individual golf. The Ryder Cup gives you that opportunity to share it with 11 other guys, wives and girlfriends, backroom staff and everyone involved. It’s just a completely different experience. Valhalla was an amazing week. I thought I had a great week personally but I was disappointed not to be on the winning team and I can’t wait to get to Celtic Manor.

“It’s not that I wasn’t excited about Valhalla, but I was probably more anxious about what to expect when I got there. This time round we’re going to a familiar venue and a course where I’ve won. I’m one of three major champions on the team. I’m feeling more comfortable about what to expect and I’m playing in front of home fans this time round.

“The thing about the Ryder Cup is that it’s Sunday afternoon pressure right from the gun on Friday morning. Generally when you’re in contention on the weekend you’re there because you’re playing well, but at the Ryder Cup you have that pressure right away. That’s one of the unique things about the Ryder Cup. I’ll take a lot more confidence in this time than I did at Valhalla.”

So much so that McDowell echoed likely partner Rory McIlroy’s comment that he would love to go head-to-head with Tiger Woods. That’s big talk, and McDowell knows what he is risking pointing out that the Canadian Stephen Ames suffered a 9 and 8 defeat in the world matchplay four years ago at La Costa after suggesting the Woods’ driving was so erratic that anything could happen.

“I agree with Rory that he is more beatable nowadays but you never know with Tiger Woods. I fully expect him to be back to form,” he said. “He’s been playing a lot better the last few weeks. I’d love to play him in the Sunday afternoon singles with the Ryder Cup on the line. It would be an amazing experience. I’m only wary that he tends to bottle these things up and take it out on you on the golf course.”

The converse must also be true, even though McDowell himself has been on a downturn of form since Pebble Beach, after which he played five tournaments in a row, including the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, the Open Championship at St Andrews, and the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

But he declares himself refreshed after four weeks off and very much looking forward instead of back to the US Open. Moreover, he regards himself as one of the latest in a long line of passionate Irishmen in the history of the Ryder Cup, naming Christy O’Connor Jr, Eamonn Darcy, Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke, particularly four years ago at the K Club.
“There something about Irish players and how much passion they have. They seem to embrace the team environment and I’m no different when it comes to that. Of course major championships are what define a player, but to me it’s about Ryder Cups as well, teams you have played on and the experiences you have had.
“Sharing this with 11 other players is just so different from what we’re used to. Players don’t understand it until they’ve done it for the first time. I’m definitely a big fan of it.”

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