European Open: John O'Sullivan hears how bagging a rare bird has given Graeme McDowell the boost he needs.

Mariners may consider the sight of an albatross as a portent of ill fortune but for the golfing fraternity it is as revered as it is elusive. Professionals can be blasé about most facets of the game but holes-in-one and albatrosses remain a rare currency, especially in competition.

Ireland's Graeme McDowell joined a select group (Chris Gane and Colin Montgomerie have achieved the feat in European tour events over the last two years) last weekend when he holed his second shot to the par five 18th at the Le Golf National, Paris.

Apart from the initial surge of pleasure, it had more far reaching implications, most notably a jump in the final standings at the tournament to finish 18th. "It had been a frustrating day for me on the greens. The putter was cold; I had a lot of lip-outs and horseshoed on 17 to really frustrate the hell out of me.

"My only three sub-par figures of the day were a birdie, a two-foot tap-in, an eagle on the 14th when I pitched in from just off the back of the green and the albatross on 18.

"I hit a very big drive that got a big bounce and had 136 yards to the pin. I hit a wedge right down it (the pin) for the first albatross of my career. It was a pretty timely hole out."

Trying to carry three players of limited ability in yesterday's Smurfit European Pro-Am at The K Club, McDowell cut a relaxed, if slightly jaded, figure, his recollection of last Sunday's events in Paris dwelling on the location almost as much as his virtuosity.

"It's a pretty picturesque setting, the 18th at Paris National. The green is framed by the hotel, the second shot is to an island green over water. It was pretty spectacular, one bounce and in was a wonderful way to finish what had been a pretty frustrating weekend.

"It's a special time to have my first one, that could also turn out to be my last. It's a very rare bird and nice to have one. You've got to try and achieve everything in your career and I'm glad I've got that one out of the way because it is one of the harder ones."

Returning to more pressing business, McDowell is pretty bullish about his chances, despite missing the cut here last year. "The golf course suits me in that it rewards good placement from the tee and good iron play. The greens are very good. I feel good with my putter and want to have a good tournament in front of the home crowd."

The discipline for the 23-year-old is to remain patient, focused and hope that fortune will favour the precise on a course that traditionally offers her favours to the longer hitters, of which McDowell is not one. "I'm trying to stay in the present, get the most from every round. I'll sign the scorecard at the end of the day and what comes out will hopefully be good enough to be in contention. It's about trying to play as efficiently as possibly and round here playing smart (golf)."

The Portrush native sees a good tournament as a conduit to grabbing a place in the forthcoming British Open. He'll play Loch Lomond next week and hope that he can do enough to see him start at Royal St George. If not there is an alternative.

"My goal is a British Open place. "If that doesn't materialise I'll go back to Portrush for a few days and support my little brother (Gary, 21) who's playing in the North of Ireland Championship. I'll play the Irish Open whether I play in the British or not and also the Scandinavian Masters (where he defends the title he won last year)."

A medium term objective is to get into the top 100 in the world - he's currently 155 - and also continue his climb up the Volvo Order of Merit rankings. This will facilitate his ambition to guarantee a place at the season-ending Volvo Masters and also the right to compete in the four Majors next season.

To achieve these aims McDowell offers this prognosis. "My short game must become a good antidote to those days when you're not striking the ball that well.

"I feel that when my striking is not quite on, my short game stops me from shooting a 71. Instead I'm throwing in a 73 or 74. This game (golf) is about constant, never ending improvement."

He is also looking at finding a coach. His former mentor at the University of Alabama, Birmingham in the United States, Eric Eschelman, is not available to travel with McDowell because of other commitments. The mountain, therefore, has to travel to Muhammad.

At present, the Irishman is working with his close friend and fellow Portrush man, Tristan Mullally, who knows his swing as well as anyone, but McDowell recognises that he requires a longer term solution.

For the moment, though, his only concern is the Smurfit European Open and the opportunity to add a few more feathers, albatross notwithstanding, to his cap.