Graeme McDowell believes Europe’s crushing Ryder Cup win over the US last year has acted as a catalyst for certain players. Europe won back the trophy from the USA with a thumping 17.5-10.5 victory at Le Golf National and that success on French soil appears to have breathed huge confident into Thomas Bjorn’s men.
Related: Royal Liverpool To Host 2022 Open
Italian Francesco Molinari, Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy and Englishman Paul Casey all picked up PGA Tour victories in successive weeks prior to American star Kevin Kisner’s triumph at last week’s WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Several other members of Europe’s Ryder Cup-winning team have also impressed across the pond this season and McDowell, who won the Corales Championship on Sunday, believes victory in France has had a big part to play. “It’s amazing. It’s obviously very cyclical in the game of golf,” he was quoted as saying by golf365.
“Obviously the Ryder Cup in France in the last year [had an impact], it was the same for me in 2008, my first Ryder Cup. “Look at guys like Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. Guys like that that step up to the big stage and just got a huge amount of belief in themselves.”
McDowell also believes McIlroy could be the man to catch this year as the four-time Major winner looks to complete the Grand Slam with victory at the Masters this month. He added: “Rory looks like he’s got the bit to win again this year. He looks like he could be the man to beat in the next few months.”
