Dubai Desert ClassicThere have been times over the past year or so when it seemed as if Paul McGinley would require a parachute to stop his free-fall to apparent oblivion.
In the autumn of 2002, he was walking on silver-lined clouds as Europe's hero in securing the Ryder Cup but, since then, he has endured more poor times than good on the fairways, a fact reflected in him dropping from a career best 29th in the world rankings to 156th.
Yesterday, though, the 37-year-old Dubliner rediscovered the magic and reaffirmed his self-belief. On fairways carved as if by sorcery out of previously desert terrain, McGinley - putting together a sequence of eight successive birdies, four in concluding his first round and then tagging on four more at the start of his second - shot a 65 to assume the clubhouse lead in the Dubai Desert Classic on 11-under-par 133, a shot ahead of American Mark O'Meara.
At last, it would seem, he is back to his old self. In truth, McGinley is surprised he should have fallen so far down the rankings that he doesn't automatically get into majors or world golf championship events. "I don't feel that I've played that badly in the last year and a half, but it is amazing how you can slowly fall down the world rankings without playing that badly. I've played average," he said.
Yet, the statistics show that McGinley - who finished 33rd in the European Tour money list last year - hasn't won on tour since the Wales Open in 2001 (although he did retain the Irish PGA championship last season) and only had three top-10 finishes in 2003. All of which has meant that he doesn't get into the World Golf Championship events by right any longer, nor do invites to majors drop through the letter box with the frequency of old.
"You've got to perform well in the big events to move back up the world rankings, like Darren Clarke has been doing . . . and this is a big tournament because it has huge world ranking points with Tiger (Woods) and Ernie (Els) playing."
More than anyone, McGinley knows what is at stake and that there is unfinished work to be completed over the weekend. Two weeks ago in Malaysia, he also got into contention - leading at one stage - only to slip down the field, eventually finishing in 12th position. If that showing at least hinted that his game was ready to deliver something special, yesterday was the time to put it into action.
He resumed his incomplete first round with six holes left to play, and proceeded to birdie five of them, including that sequence of four to finish. After a mere half-hour's break, he was back out again and started off with another four birdies - making it eight in total.
"I've no idea what was the most number of birdies I've previously had in a round, but it certainly wasn't eight," admitted McGinley.
The tour record is eight - held by 10 players, among them Darren Clarke in his round of 60 at The K Club in 1999 - but this feat of McGinley's doesn't join that elite band because it was compiled in two separate rounds.
