Graeme McDowell ready to go after break

There’s a reason we haven’t seen too much of Graeme McDowell recently, as the Northern Irishman revealed he took the last three-weeks off to spend time with his wife.

McDowell’s wife is pregnant with the couple’s first child, and with the baby due in August G-Mac felt it was only right to spend some time with his wife Kirstin ahead of a busy summer schedule.

“I wanted to try and take some time off and spend some time with her.” -Graeme McDowell

“Taking the last three weeks off to the detriment of not getting to Wentworth was disappointing this year. That was based mainly on the fact that I’m not really going to see my wife much this summer,” said McDowell.

“She’s due in August and she’s not able to travel much. Next week is her last event that she’s going to so I wanted to try and take some time off and spend some time with her, and that factored into the three-week off break.”

Graeme McDowell world ranking

As Grame McDowell admitted, it was to the detriment of his golf as he missed the European Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth as well as Jack Nicklaus’s Memorial Tournament. In all, McDowell hasn’t played since the Players Championship and due to the lay-off he has fallen from 18^th in the world rankings to 22^nd.

A big summer for Graeme McDowell

It’s no surprise then that he is now focused on his golf, as he prepares to return to action at the St. Jude Classic today.

“Like I say, I had some family commitments as well the last few weeks which kind of helped my decision to take some time off.  But I’m feeling fresh and I’m excited to play this week and look forward to the next week at U.S. Open also,” said Graeme McDowell.

Beyond the US Open, Graeme McDowell is looking ahead to the Ryder Cup, a tournament that has been kind to him in recent years, as well as the Open Championship.

“I’ve got one eye on the summer, trying to stay physically and mentally fresh for a long summer,” said McDowell. “As well as the three Major Championships that we’ll play the next two months and the FedEx Cup Playoffs and hopefully the Ryder Cup team at the end of it.”

With the US Open a week a way,  a top-10 finish at the St. Jude’s would give Graeme McDowell the mometum he needs to return to form. Can he do it?