Reinvigorated McDowell resurfaces at Sawgrass

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- World No. 5 Graeme McDowell started the year where he left off in 2010, right in the weekend hunt, atop the leaderboards more often than not, mostly hitting the hero shots.

Then just as suddenly, he couldn't find the middle of the clubface if he was hitting a beach ball.

"I've been swinging the club like an idiot," he said.

After another long session last weekend with English swing coach Pete Cowen, McDowell is at last back in his customary position heading into the weekend at the Players Championship, tied for second as the afternon wave played at TPC Sawgrass.

Dressed in black on a stifling day of heat, McDowell shot a 3-under 69 despite a double-bogey and a pair of three three-putts, but was otherwise delirious to be back among the relevant players this week. He had missed three of his last four cuts and finished T61 in his other start.

The Ryder Cup hero admitted that some of his earlier results this year were a bit misleading, too, and that the late flashes of brilliance he showed in 2010 hadn't necessarily carried over as fully as many believed.

"To be honest, I probably backed into most of my good results this year, with a low one in the last round in Abu Dhabi, and I backed in at the Honda Classic as well," he admitted. "So I haven't put myself in contention going into Saturday this year. I said to my caddie walking to the first tee yesterday, I'm missing being in contention. So, really happy to be there.

"I came here with no expectations. After a weekend of grinding, you're never really sure if you're going to go put it on the golf course. I;ve given myself a lot of confidence the last couple of days and whatever happens this weekend, these last two days have been a huge step forward for me after the way I played the last six weeks."