Ryder Cup: Graeme McDowell would be happy to line up with Rory McIlroy at Gleneagles
Last Updated: 23/09/14 3:26pm
Graeme McDowell says there are no problems between himself and Rory McIlroy but believes Europe's Ryder Cup team may benefit if the duo are not paired together continually.
Captain Paul McGinley talked on Monday about splitting the Northern Irish players up after they played six matches together at Celtic Manor in 2010 and Medinah two years ago.
There had been talk of a falling out between the pair, but McDowell categorically denied that on Tuesday and went on to explain why the team might benefit from them playing with different partners at Gleneagles after winning only 2 1/2 points from six matches as a partnership.
"There's no doubt our personal issues have been well documented the last couple of years," he said, referring to McIlroy's ongoing legal battle with his former management company Horizon, who still represent McDowell.
"I believe we've both come out of the other end of that probably better friends than we were going into it. Our personal issues are not a problem this weekend, that's a fact.
"I think tactically, Rory and my golf dynamic has changed significantly from the first time we ever played together when perhaps (there was) the older brother-younger brother leadership role I had with him. That's changed.
"He's the world's No 1 player, he's a four-time major champion. The dynamic between him and I has changed forever. He would now be the leader of the two of us and perhaps that dynamic doesn't work as well as it did in the past.
"Perhaps I am the kind of guy that needs that leadership role, or at least to feel on a level with the guy I am playing with."
'Up for it'
But McDowell says there is still a chance he and McIlroy will line up together at some point this weekend, especially in the foursomes format.
"I'll be the first to admit at Medinah a couple of years ago, and Rory and I have spoken about this, I found the better ball format very difficult. He likes to go first, I let him at it, and then I go second. He hits it 350 yards down the middle and I put my tee down thinking there's not a lot of point me hitting this tee-shot," McDowell said.
"I stand there throwing myself at it and it didn't help my game much playing better-ball with him. Foursomes I think is a bit different. I think we can still play foursomes pretty well together. I love playing off his tee shot, as anyone would. 350 down the middle works anywhere, any week."
I would embrace the chance, possibly in foursomes, to play with Rory at some point this weekend. We're both up for it.
Graeme McDowell
"I've spoken to Paul McGinley about this as well because he felt himself and Padraig Harrington were the same way. They gelled well as a partnership in the early days and when Harrington became the star the dynamic changed from a tactical point of view and it didn't work so well," he added.
"That's the way Rory and I are viewing this week. The great thing and the bad thing on our team this week is that we have so many options. The pairings aren't so obvious this week and the captain has a little bit of work to do on Wednesday and Thursday with regards to putting those teams together.
"But I would embrace the chance, possibly in foursomes, to play with Rory at some point this weekend. We're both up for it."
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