G-Mac grateful for fast finish to 2015

Quarterback Tim Tebow in action during the pro-am. Picture: Michael O'Bryon

Victory alongside Gary Woodland in the 27th annual Franklin Templeton Shootout would make a sweet end to a rollercoaster 2015 for Graeme McDowell.

But the truth is that whatever he does in the 24-man, three-day pairs event  hosted by Australian legend Greg Norman at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida, it will be a bonus.

McDowell looked likely to end a disappointing year empty-handed until he opted to finish the year with back to back events on the 2015-16 PGA Tour schedule

It couldn’t have worked out better as he won last month’s OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico in a playoff with Jason Bohn and Russell Knox and then finished third the following week's RSM Classic at Sea Island.

From 82nd in the world after the Turkish Airlines Open, he suddenly found himself close to the world’s top 50 again.

“I’m exiting with a lot more than I’d hoped for coming into these couple weeks,” said McDowell, who is 54th in the world this week and back in the ball game when it comes to Olympic Games and Ryder Cup qualification.

"My game has been in decent shape the last few months, but I came away from Turkey, my last event in Europe, with not a lot to show for myself.

"I kept kind of throwing it away on the weekends despite the fact that I knew I was starting to sort of building some confidence and momentum. Gives me something to really take into the off-season, something to build on in the new year."

McDowell missed the cut in four of his final six US PGA events last season, including the US Open and PGA Championship and the Canadian Open in July.

"That was kind of one of the times the boat kind of hit rock bottom. It has been a long road back from there," said McDowell.

"I've been working really hard. This has been a result of some confidence building the last couple months, some good playing, some good technical kind of work, and great to be back competing again."