McDowell thanks McGinley

Graeme McDowell thanked Paul McGinley for his moral support in South Korea.

Dubliner McGinley played in the final threeball with fellow Irishman McDowell and stablemate Jeev Milka Singh.

And while his loyalties were divided, McDowell felt big-hearted McGinley was pulling for him when he came out to follow the play-off.

McDowell said: "Paul had certainly different views on the two players. He’s got Jeev his ISM stablemate and he had me a fellow Irishman.

"But I felt Paul pulling for me down the last three or four holes when he realised he didn’t have a chance for the title. It was great to see him finish third – but he was great towards to me.

"When I got a bad break of landing up against a tree at 16 he came over and said to me that I could still make four and then at 17 he was full of support for me and then wishing me well when we headed off the play-off."

McGinley rose nearly 50 places to 149th in the world and from 83rd to 29th in the Order of Merit thanks to his third place finish.

He said: "Last year I didn't have any Top 10's, and I have two this year, so it gets me up in the World Ranking and gets me up the Order of Merit.

"In the Ryder Cup qualifying I'm still way behind, but I need a big finish. It's always about the big finish."