The popular McDowell on Wednesday talked up his lust for a Royal Melbourne duel with Scott at golf’s World Cup when the fabled teams event hits Royal Melbourne from November 21-24.
Just how strong Scott’s commitment to Australian golf is in the warm afterglow of his triumph at Augusta in April is clear.
The $8.2 million event will be stop No.3 on a demanding four-event swing through Australia this summer that includes an Australian Masters stop at the same course the previous week.
It is a schedule Scott would never normally play but for his honourable commitment to give Australian golf every chance of capitalising on the US Masters win and to say thanks to fans.
McDowell did not win a tournament worldwide in 2011 after his 2010 US Open breakthrough but said Scott was in far better shape to handle a life-changing major.
“The demands on your time increase exponentially as a major champion and you need to adapt to the mental hurdle of re-setting goals after achieving a life’s dream,” world No.12 McDowell said from China yesterday.
“I hate to use the word selfish but you really have to say ‘no’ at times. You have to sit out events to prepare yourself, be fresh and be ready to play well.
“Adam Scott has been a world class player for a lot of years so I’m sure his life is well adapted to demands on his time. He knows how to handle himself and is driven and motivated for more success.”
This will be McDowell’s fourth tilt at the World Cup with Ireland. He led into the final round of the 2011 edition in China with Rory McIlroy yet the duo faded to equal fourth behind the Americans.
He had hoped McIlroy would be his partner again but stalled attempts to squeeze any news on the slump of the former world No.1, who recently split from tennis star girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki.
“I don’t have any comment. It’s been a long complicated year for everyone (talking about the slump) so I prefer not to talk about Rory McIlroy in this conversation,” McDowell said politely.
Ireland’s world No.72 Shane Lowry is his partner instead for the World Cup.
“We’ll be shorter odds to win the World Cup than a horse with Irish connections to win the Melbourne Cup,” McDowell said with his humour intact.
Australian team members Adam Scott and Jason Day will hit the World Cup as favourites.
“It would be amazing to add winning a prestigious event like the World Cup to the resume. I enjoyed immensely playing at Kingston Heath (at the Talisker Masters) last year and Royal Melbourne is another wonderful course,” McDowell said.
“With the Australian Masters played there the week before I’m sure the greens will be rolling unbelievably fast for the World Cup.
“The organisers have been working hard to inject a bit more enthusiasm into the World Cup in recent years which is great. It’s a decent field. (American) Matt Kuchar is back to defend but I understand the decision of players who have given it a miss.
“While Melbourne is a beautiful place and one of my favourite cities in the world, it is a quite a way from the golfing meccas of the US and Europe.”
Playing for Ireland at the World Cup will also have a more lasting meaning. It will commit the Northern Irishman to playing for Ireland at the 2016 Olympics in golf.
