GOLF/US Tour The Masters: The ghosts of past deeds hit Graeme McDowell when he first experienced the back nine at Augusta National in practice. It caused a tingling sensation, hairs to stand up on his neck.

"I'd seen enough highlights of old Masters to refresh those memories, but I'd like to tune into them, to get some eerie feelings going," he remarked, undaunted by the statistic that weighs down heavily on first-timers playing in this revered major.

McDowell is a disciple of neuro-linguistic programming, basically the power of positive thinking. Negative thoughts are dispatched to some ether region.

He didn't want to be lumbered with the statistic that only three players in Masters history - Horton Smith, the winner of the first tournament in 1934, Gene Sarazen in 1935, and Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 - have managed to win the title in their first year competing. Or that Jack Nicklaus didn't win until his fifth attempt, or Arnold Palmer until his fourth.

"Really?" responded McDowell, when informed of the generally poor results of first-time competitors.

"Well, I feel my game is in good shape. I don't have any real sort of goals, I'm just going to play my own game, to play the course the way it should be and to respect it."

For only the third time in the Masters, there will be three Irishmen in the field. In 2002, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke were joined by Paul McGinley, when all secured top-20 finishes. This time, McDowell is the new kid on the block. Last Thursday, having decided to settle into his new home in Orlando rather than fly back to Manchester as originally intended, he made the trip up to Augusta for a first practice round. His partner was Ian Poulter.

Yesterday, he played 18 holes with Paul Casey.

Tomorrow, he intends to play nine holes with Harrington. "I'm trying to pick as many brains as I can," said McDowell.

In many ways, this is a dream come true for McDowell; a reward for the progress he has made this season when he has firmly established a place in the world's top-50. "It was pretty sweet, actually," he recalled of that first drive up Magnolia Lane. "This is a cool place, a cool golf course. It's perfect. There's not a blade of grass out of place. It's spectacular. I had looked at it a lot on television over the years, read a lot of (Ben) Hogan biographies, and it certainly doesn't disappoint when you're here in the flesh."

McDowell's plan in the build-up to this, his fifth appearance in a major, with his best result being tied-27th in last year's US PGA at Whistling Straits, is to "keep it relaxed." Easier said than done, it must be admitted. But McDowell's philosophy is to avoid burning up too much energy ahead of Thursday's first round. "I'm trying to approach it the same way as I'd approach any other tournament, albeit one on a pretty special golf course. I'm keeping my same routine, except that I came here a day early. But that means my routine can be slowed down.

"This has always been a dream to play this tournament, probably more than any of the other majors. I've always wanted to play this golf course more than any other course in the world. Why? Just because it's Augusta, because it's the first major of the year. It makes this week extra special . . . but I feel comfortable. When you feel comfortable, you're not going to sit back and say that you've arrived but this is the level I've always strived to achieve, and I want to feel comfortable in this environment."

Certainly, McDowell is not one to be scared by the prospect of contending or even winning. If, come Sunday afternoon, he is in contention entering the home straight, he won't back off. "It's what I practice for. If I'm contending, I'd hope that I enjoy it. If I don't enjoy it, then I'm in the wrong profession. I am doing what I want to do (play golf), and I want to be in contention. I think it would be cool, the same as putting yourself in contention in any tournament."

The special nature of this week for the McDowell family is underlined by the fact that his dad Kenny, mam Marian and two brothers Gary and George have travelled over from Portrush.

"It's unbelievable," says his father. "As Marian keeps saying, 'it still feels like a dream for us'. Obviously, Graeme knows what he's capable of. So do we now, of course, but I never, ever thought he'd get here. It's super, great for the family." McDowell senior will caddie for his son in tomorrow's par-three contest. McDowell is due to play with Ian Woosnam and David Howell.

So, what of those ghosts of the past? McDowell's clearest television recollections are of Larry Mize's chip-in to win the play-off over Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros in 1987, and of Jack Nicklaus's win the previous year which, he said, "is right up there . . . probably because I've seen the highlights so often."

Nick Faldo's win over Norman in '96 is also engrained.

For McDowell, who has special temporary membership on the US Tour for the rest of the season, although he plans to undertake what he calls a "flip-flop" schedule that will see him jump back and forth over the Atlantic to avail of the best tournaments in both the European and US Tours up to September. The year 2005 is going as well as could be planned, his runner-up finish behind Kenny Perry in the Bay Hill Invitational has underlined his great potential. What he'd love to do now, though, is to add his own tale to the magical deeds of Augusta. Now, that would be stranger than fiction.