Graeme Careful Not To Thank Tiger For Crashing His Car

But as Steve Elling points out, that's the real takeaway from Peter Hutcheon's story quoting U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell on how his late entry into the Chevron World Challenge led to a great week, top 50 world ranking and entry into several key 2010 events.

McDowell said: “What happened at the end of last season, and getting the invite to the Tiger Woods golf tournament, was the real catalyst for everything that has happened for me this year.

“I walked off the golf course in China, with Rory and myself just having lost the World Cup by a shot to the Molinari boys.

“My manager, Conor Ridge, then suggested there was a shadow of a chance, what with the Tiger Woods story unfolding that week, that I might get an invite into the Chevron World Challenge.

“As it so happened I was flying home from China to Orlando through LA that week so I said of course I would get off the flight there and take my chance.

“I don’t how Conor managed to do it, but we got the nod on the invite and then I go and finish second.

“I moved from 55th to 38th in the world, it got me into Augusta and smoothed up the start of the season.

Then after Wentworth I get into the US Open right on the bubble at Number 50.

“So if I had not been top 50 at the end of last year, I maybe would not have got off to the start I had this year.

“Maybe I wouldn’t have got myself into the US Open and things like the Ryder Cup.

“It was just one of those very fateful moments.”

At least McDowell is returning the favor by appearing this year in what is a star-studded field, as Bob Harig reports.