GMAC Seeks No New Horizon

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Graeme McDowell believes Rory McIlroy's poor form this season is behind the world number two's decision to leave Horizon Sports Management to create his own management group.

McIlroy denied speculation at the Players Championship last week that he would create his own team with his father, close friends and associates, but McDowell confirmed the two-time major winner had decided on his second management change since October 2011. The 24-year-old left International Sports Management just four months after winning the US Open, joining McDowell at Horizon.

"Management is a funny thing and when things are maybe not going 100 per cent on the golf course it is natural to question everything you are doing, from relationships, business and just everything you do," McDowell said after reaching the last 16 of the Volvo World Match Play Championship.

"Rory has made a decision about his management structure for whatever reason. I don't know the reasons because I haven't seen much of him the last few months as our schedules have been different.

"But it's just one of those things and you only have to look at the last 18 months and the job Horizon have done for Rory. He's had a phenomenal 18 months, signing the biggest deal in golf (with Nike) at the end of last year.

"Business-wise Rory's in the best shape he's ever been in his life and while he has struggled with his golf the early part of this season for whatever reason, I am sure the management company weren't giving him golf lessons or caddying for him. That's kind of his own deal.

"But when we are not on our game we have a tendency to, and I am not going to say make wrong decisions, but we do question everything in our lives, what we are doing and sometimes we have to make changes.

"Rory's decision is a fairly amicable break up and Rory just wants to do his own thing and surround himself with his family. That's fair enough.

"And as far as my relationship with Horizon Sports is concerned, they have done a phenomenal job for me the last five to six years, and it's pretty tough to look at Rory's scenario and say they've done a bad job.

"I've been through much the same situation as Rory before I signed with Horizon but when the stakes are high and the pressure is on, the old caddie and coaches are first to go. I guess management companies are not too far down that pecking order. It's disappointing to lose him as a management stablemate but we will go forward still very good friends."

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McDowell Shows Winning Edge

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Graeme McDowell qualified for the last-16 of the Volvo World Match Play Championship with maximum points, as the top seed sent a clear message to his title rivals heading into the weekend in Bulgaria.

All the talk heading into the week was of the stunning Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort in Kavarna and its favourable comparisons with the revered Californian layout, Pebble Beach.

It was on that rugged pacific coastline course that McDowell of course claimed his maiden Major triumph at The 2010 US Open Championship, and after seeing off Stephen Gallacher 4&2 to move into the knockout stages of the tournament he admitted that the Gary Player gem was well matched to his game.

“There are a few tight tee shots but it really suits my ball shape; it suits the fade,” said McDowell, who also overcame Chris Wood 5&3 on Thursday to top the Seve Ballesteros Group with four points. 

“You can aim away from trouble. And the on the way in, the fairways are tilted so much from right to left you actually want to hit a cut against them.

“It suits my ball flight I have to say, it's my kind of golf course. Hopefully I can keep doing what I'm doing and give myself a chance this weekend.”

As is well documented, McDowell grew up and learned his trade on the links at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland so the 33 year old is very much at home on courses such as Thracian Cliffs, perched spectacularly over the Black Sea along the Cape Kaliakra in Bulgaria.

After his victory against Wood on Thursday, McDowell commented: “It's very fiery, very linksy. It's stunning to look at it; it's tricky; it's funky in places, but you've got to get on with it and if you hit good shots and place the ball well, you get rewarded.”

With winds gusting up to 25 miles per hour on Friday afternoon, the 18-hole signature course certainly needed some careful management and McDowell again embraced his favourite tag to handle the challenge with aplomb, moving four up through seven holes thanks to birdies at the first, third, fifth and seventh holes.

Gallacher, though, reduced the deficit to one with three hole victories in succession from the ninth but McDowell rallied again with wins at the 14th and 15th and a concession from the Scot at the following hole brought handshakes as The Ryder Cup star marched into the next round in Kavarna.

“It was a good game,” McDowell continued. “I got off to a fast start, played beautiful the first eight holes and kind of started getting in a little trouble which you can do around this golf course. I hit two bad tee shots and all of a sudden Stephen wins three on the spin and it's back to grinding again.

“Stephen returned the favour with a couple bad tee shots of his own coming in and thankfully made my job a little easier.

“It's a tough one. He's out there fighting for his life; a halve match will do me, but you want to put the game away. 

“These group stages can be kind of a little bit banana skins and you sort of knuckle down and get through and get into the real stuff this weekend.”

McDowell, the runner-up at this event in 2012 when Nicolas Colsaerts prevailed, also spoke of his relief at closing out his opening group ties in relatively concise fashion.

“You certainly want to conserve energy,” he reflected. “You want to get into the weekend first and foremost but you want to be trying to stay fresh. This golf course is reasonably demanding physically but we are getting lots of cart rides out there so it’s not too bad. 

“There are 36 holes a day for the next two days if you want to go all the way and you have to take that into account. I'll sleep well tonight and hopefully be ready for a big day tomorrow.”

American Bo Van Pelt awaits in the last-16 for McDowell in the final tie out on Saturday morning and the man who conquered Pebble Beach in 2010 will no doubt arrive steely-eyed and focussed, as he continues his bid to triumph on its European little brother on Sunday afternoon.

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