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Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer are both looking to kick-start their seasons when they tee it up at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation this week.
The Northern Irishman won in November on the US PGA Tour but has struggled for form since the turn of the year, while Kaymer claimed his first top ten of the campaign at the Real Club Valderrama Open de España, Hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation a month ago.
Both men have represented Europe in the last three Ryder Cups, with McDowell the only man to have qualified for the last four, but with the next contest coming up at Hazeltine in the autumn, they are currently on the outside looking in.
McDowell has slipped to 68th in the Official World Golf Ranking but feels his game is not too far off and is now aiming for a big summer.
"I've generally been feeling very good about my game this year," he said. "Started off kind of strong early in the Florida Swing. Lost my way a little bit sort of into the Match Play and Augusta.
"Sort of hit the reset button after Hilton Head and came back last week, starting to get those good feelings back again, a little bit of confidence seeing the ball do what I wanted to do, staying patient, and a little bit of belief coming back again.
"The weekend at The Players was nice on a lot of levels, gave me that little bit of confidence coming here, and into next week, as well, and looking forward to the summer with three Majors to play here in the next few months, a lot of big events. Looking to the French Open with double Ryder Cup points.
There's lots and lots of jockeying for position to come up here in the next few months and I feel like I'm well positioned mentally and physically to do that - Graeme McDowell
"Of course I'd love to be part of the team."
Kaymer is four spots ahead of McDowell in the World Rankings and although he has not won since claiming his second Major Championship at the 2014 US Open, he came close when losing out in a play-off to Rikard Karlberg at last season's 72° OPEN D'ITALIA presented by DAMIANI, and is eager to contend again.
"I haven't really competed in a tournament properly," he said. "Preparation has been good for the summer, so now I look forward to hopefully all the work and the practice paying off, because I really need to work my way into the Ryder Cup.
"In terms of the tournaments coming up now, they are obviously big ones that you want to win, and a few I've won in the past. I've got experience with it and a lot of positive memories. I'm really excited to play all the tournaments now until the Olympic Games."
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