Europe’s perfect pairing of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell may be no more for this year’s Ryder Cup, the most prominent casualty of European captain Paul McGinley’s analytical approach.
Pairing the two Northern Irishmen and close friends seemed as natural as potato bread in an Ulster fry or a slash of water in a dram of Bushmills. But the “dynamic” of the pair has changed, and surprisingly it’s nothing to do with any awkwardness between the pair as a result of the legal dispute over management where they found themselves on opposite sides.
Instead, the plain-speaking McDowell, who led off the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah in partnership with McIlroy, believes the pair are closer friends than ever but their relationship has evolved and they may not be ideal partners in this format.
“There’s no doubt our personal issues have been well-documented the last couple of years,” said G-Mac, referring to McIlroy’s legal attempt to extricate himself from his former agents, the Horizon management company in which McDowell has a part-stake.
“I believe that we’ve come out the other end of that probably better friends, so our personal issues are not a problem this week, that’s a fact.”
However, he continued, their tactical partnership was already coming to an end at Medinah last time.
“Back in 2009 there was kind of an older brother, younger brother relationship I had with him, but that’s changed,” continued McDowell. “He’s a four-time major champion now the dynamic between him and I has changed forever.
“Maybe I’m the kind of guy who needs that leadership role, I’ll be the first to admit it. Rory and I talked about this after Medinah, I found the better ball format very difficult with him.
“He likes to go first, and he hits a 350-yard drive down the middle. I’m teeing up thinking there’s not a lot of point in hitting this tee shot and eventually throwing myself at it.
“Foursomes is different. We could play really well together then. I’d definitely like to play off his tee shot 350 down the middle works everywhere.”
G-Mac and Rory are up for foursomes, but McGinley indicated that with two wins out of six games together, he might be for splitting the pair up.
“If Paul feels we could be best used somewhere else, and Rory can certainly play with anyone, we might be better serving the team apart,” agreed McDowell, who may well end up in his preferred leadership role with rookie Victor Dubuisson.
The pair played together in Europe’s three-ball practice session on Tuesday, and McDowell hinted strongly that he could partner the shy, “enigmatic” Frenchman.
“I’ve been trying to sort of get close to him these last few months. He obviously doesn’t lack for talent and he’s a great guy,” continued McDowell. “I would very much embrace the task of blooding a guy like Victor, I would love to play with him.”
McDowell also rates Stephen Gallacher, who beat him ten years in a playoff for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
“Stevie hits it long, very strong, kind of assured about himself,” he continued. “He showed a lot of class and heart the way he played to get on this team.
“Obviously I was acutely aware when he came within a whisker of taking my automatic spot in Italy. Yes, he’s a wildcard and a rookie but we all believe he deserves to be on this team, hopefully he knows that as well.”
Even though by his own admission he did not play well in the 2012 win at Medinah, McDowell was the hero in 2010 at Celtic Manor and the “three best experiences of my career” have been in Ryder Cups, only challenged by being in the delivery room when his first daughter was born last month.
“I think all of us who have experienced that know it’s something you can’t describe and changes you forever,” he said of the birth. “It’s also hard to describe the difference between winning a major and winning a Ryder Cup.
“This game is selfish, we look after ourselves week in, week out, we’re all very protective of our secrets and ethos trying to be the best players we can be.
“But this week we play for our 11 team-mates, we’re an open book, we share and united to one task. We’ll do anything for each other this week.
“That’s a very special thing to be involved in.”