ONE IS A three-time Major winner, one is the defending champion, another recently secured fourth place at Wentworth and the last looks certain to become one of the biggest names in world golf.
We look at the four Irish golfers taking part in this week’s US Open at the Congressional Country Club …
Rory McIlroy
Odds: 18-1
Relatively short odds for a player who has yet to win a Major, but McIlroy has shown more and more in recent months how he is growing into his reputation. The Holywood native has bagged three top-five finishes in only 10 Major appearances, though there remain some doubts about his credentials once he gets into a winning position.
The 22-year-old’s greatest flirtation with glory came at this year’s Masters in Augusta, which made his failure on the Sunday all the more heartbreaking. A triple bogey on the tenth led to the mother of all meltdowns and McIlroy found himself shooting an 80, plummeting from top spot to 15th on the leaderboard.
However, McIlroy was to be applauded for his attitude afterwards, telling the world, “I’ll get over it. I’ll have plenty more chances – I know that.” That positive and mature attitude has seen him perform well since that collapse, and he has as much reason as anyone to hope for a Major breakthrough and build on his tenth placed finish two years ago.
Graeme McDowell
Odds: 40-1
For the affable Northern Irishman, the chance to reclaim the prize he won last year represents the biggest challenge of his career so far. McDowell does not want to be known as a ‘one tournament wonder’ after his success at Pebble Beach last year but only the most blinkered of commentators will tell you that he can do it all again.
While McDowell has shown generally impressive form over the last year and a half, winning two tournaments on the European Tour and securing the winning point for Europe in the Ryder Cup, he struggled badly in a practice round at Congressional six weeks ago.
McDowell does not hit the ball far off the tee, something multiple Major winners need to be able to do, while he has missed the cut on four of his last eight starts. His fans may point to his tenaciousness but G-Mac’s detractors feel that his third round collapse at the recent Welsh Open – he shot 81 having shown impressive form to the halfway point with 67-68 – is more the rule than the exception. 40-1, quite frankly, seems generous.
Padraig Harrington
Odds: 70-1
Long odds on a comeback from the forgotten man of Irish golf. Harrington is the man credited with paving the way for the recent upsurge in Europe’s fortunes, with eulogies for the Portmarnock man coming from the likes of Luke Donald, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell.
All three players have seen their careers soar in the last year while Harrington has battled the biggest crisis of confidence in his career to date. Having won his third Major in 13 months at the 2008 USPGA Championship, Harrington suffered problems with his swing that bled down into his self belief.
He has missed five Major cuts out of nine since his win at Oakland Hills, including four out of the last five and each of the last three. His recent form has shown no signs of improvement – he could only finish tied for 52nd place in last week’s St. Jude Classic – while he has dropped out of the world’s top 50 for the first time since March 2000.
All of that being said, he has surprised us before and there’s something about class being permanent.
Shane Lowry
Odds: 200-1
The great outsider of the Irish bunch, Lowry is making his first appearance at the US Open and is coming off some fine form.
Treading water somewhat after his Irish Open win at Baltray two years ago, it took the recovery from a broken wrist for Lowry to start showing his skills on a consistent basis. There was a 13th at the Ballantines Championship, then 11th place at the Open de Espana and fifth at the Iberdrola Open in Mallorca.
Then came the second big moment of his career – fourth place at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, a prize of €191,100 and a European Tour card for 2012.
The 24-year-old is, once again, one of the rising stars of Irish golf and confidence breeds success.
