By . Derek Lawrenson for the Daily Mail . Four years ago he was christened ‘Wee Mac’ by the Celtic Manor crowd and that chimed just perfectly with Graeme McDowell’s thoughts about Rory McIlroy. G-Mac was the US Open champion and how he loved striding the fairways and showing the ropes to his fellow Northern Irishman, making his debut in the Ryder Cup and who he looked upon as a younger brother. That all changed at Medinah two years later. My, how the younger brother had grown. Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell have had public issues with their relationship, but are friends now . The Northern Irish pair have played together at both of the last two Ryder Cups with some success . Now he was world No 1 and a major champion in his own right, and when he struck his drive on the first hole in fourballs it flew so far it came to rest 350 yards away. And G-Mac thought to himself: ‘What on earth is the point of me trying to follow that?’ Europe captain Paul McGinley opened a can of worms when he hinted on Monday that the pair would probably not play together at this 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. He pointed to bare statistics and, if truth be told, he raised as many questions as answers, not least given the background of the strained relationship between McIlroy and McDowell over the past couple of years. But then came G-Mac on Tuesday to put a little flesh on the bones. ‘Myself and Rory, there’s no doubt our personal issues (McIlroy is suing his former management company, Horizon, where McDowell is a shareholder) have been well documented but I believe we’ve come out of it better friends than we were going into it, so that’s not the issue this weekend,’ he said. Graeme McDowell said on Tuesday that he was unsure whether it suited his game to play with McIlroy again . Europe captain Paul McGinley has hinted that he may keep the Norther Irishmen apart this week . VIDEO Pundits provide insight into pairings . ‘I’ll be the first to admit, and Rory and I have spoken about this, I found it very difficult playing with him in the fourballs at Medinah. He likes to go first, he hits it miles and so then I’m throwing myself at my ball. It really didn’t help my game playing with him in fourballs. ‘But foursomes is different. Who wouldn’t want to be playing their second shot off a 350-yard drive? I think we could still play foursomes really well together.’ Will they get the chance? It might need proceedings to be going seriously wrong for it to happen. McGinley has identified another rookie for McDowell to shepherd over the practice sessions and that is enigmatic Frenchman Victor Dubuisson. It is a role McDowell would be only too happy to have from Friday onwards. ‘Perhaps I’m the kind of guy who needs to feel like he is on at least the same level as the guy he is playing with,’ he said. ‘I’d very much enjoy the task of blooding Victor — for want of a better expression — and I would love to play with him. We are talking about that happening.’ McIlroy has become world no 1 and won four majors since he was first paired with McDowell in 2010 . The Northern Irishman is crucial to Europe's hopes and McGinley knows his pairings will be crucial . From the outside at least, it is amazing to hear someone as tough under pressure as McDowell speak in terms of an inferiority complex, as he does about McIlroy. You would think it would manifest itself when under extreme pressure but as we all know, in this particular instance, it’s the exact opposite. ‘I’ve been lucky enough to hit a few good shots under the gun in my career,’ said G-Mac. ‘I’m a guy that certainly embraces the high-pressure scenarios. I guess I’ve been blessed with some level of fortitude and I’ve often wondered where I got it from. ‘Over the past 10 years I’ve worked it out that I got it from my mum. She’s an MS sufferer and a pretty tough cookie. Two things she gave me are perspective and some strength of mind. I would love to get a chance to test it out again this weekend.’ McIroy and McDowell celebrate together after Europe's remarkable comback victory in 2012 . The European team poses for a photo ahead of their attempt to win a third Ryder Cup in a row . McDowell hit Europe’s last shot of the 2010 Ryder Cup and the first one two years later. In three appearances he has experienced losing and winning in America as well as being the hero at Celtic Manor. ‘I’ve certainly ridden that Ryder Cup rollercoaster,’ he said, smiling. This time he is experiencing . something slightly different — being part of a team who are heavy favourites. ‘It is an unusual scenario but we’re very proud of the label,’ he said. McDowell helped McIlroy adjust to the competition as a rookie but the younger man has moved on . ‘We watched a video in the team room last night showing the growth of the European Tour and how we’ve gone from getting drummed in every Ryder Cup to the turning points with Tony Jacklin and Seve to the present day where we’ve won seven of the last nine. ‘What we’re not going to do is get sucked in by that favourites tag. We like being favourites but it’s important to play like underdogs. That’s what we are going for.’ Away from the course, McDowell began this Ryder Cup qualifying process by getting married and ended it last month by becoming a parent. Now it is back to playing big brother. After his struggles at Medinah, he is ready to lead by example once more.
Northern Irish pair have played together in last two Ryder Cups .
Paul McGinley hints that they won't be paired with each other this time .
Graeme McDowell says he and Rory McIlroy are 'better friends than before'
McIlroy has had a public dispute with the management company they both used to share .
McDowell says that he is now not on the same level as World No 1 .
By . Derek Lawrenson for the Daily Mail . Four years ago he was christened ‘Wee Mac’ by the Celtic Manor crowd and that chimed just perfectly with Graeme McDowell’s thoughts about Rory McIlroy. G-Mac was the US Open champion and how he loved striding the fairways and showing the ropes to his fellow Northern Irishman, making his debut in the Ryder Cup and who he looked upon as a younger brother. That all changed at Medinah two years later. My, how the younger brother had grown. Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell have had public issues with their relationship, but are friends now . The Northern Irish pair have played together at both of the last two Ryder Cups with some success . Now he was world No 1 and a major champion in his own right, and when he struck his drive on the first hole in fourballs it flew so far it came to rest 350 yards away. And G-Mac thought to himself: ‘What on earth is the point of me trying to follow that?’ Europe captain Paul McGinley opened a can of worms when he hinted on Monday that the pair would probably not play together at this 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. He pointed to bare statistics and, if truth be told, he raised as many questions as answers, not least given the background of the strained relationship between McIlroy and McDowell over the past couple of years. But then came G-Mac on Tuesday to put a little flesh on the bones. ‘Myself and Rory, there’s no doubt our personal issues (McIlroy is suing his former management company, Horizon, where McDowell is a shareholder) have been well documented but I believe we’ve come out of it better friends than we were going into it, so that’s not the issue this weekend,’ he said. Graeme McDowell said on Tuesday that he was unsure whether it suited his game to play with McIlroy again . Europe captain Paul McGinley has hinted that he may keep the Norther Irishmen apart this week . VIDEO Pundits provide insight into pairings . ‘I’ll be the first to admit, and Rory and I have spoken about this, I found it very difficult playing with him in the fourballs at Medinah. He likes to go first, he hits it miles and so then I’m throwing myself at my ball. It really didn’t help my game playing with him in fourballs. ‘But foursomes is different. Who wouldn’t want to be playing their second shot off a 350-yard drive? I think we could still play foursomes really well together.’ Will they get the chance? It might need proceedings to be going seriously wrong for it to happen. McGinley has identified another rookie for McDowell to shepherd over the practice sessions and that is enigmatic Frenchman Victor Dubuisson. It is a role McDowell would be only too happy to have from Friday onwards. ‘Perhaps I’m the kind of guy who needs to feel like he is on at least the same level as the guy he is playing with,’ he said. ‘I’d very much enjoy the task of blooding Victor — for want of a better expression — and I would love to play with him. We are talking about that happening.’ McIlroy has become world no 1 and won four majors since he was first paired with McDowell in 2010 . The Northern Irishman is crucial to Europe's hopes and McGinley knows his pairings will be crucial . From the outside at least, it is amazing to hear someone as tough under pressure as McDowell speak in terms of an inferiority complex, as he does about McIlroy. You would think it would manifest itself when under extreme pressure but as we all know, in this particular instance, it’s the exact opposite. ‘I’ve been lucky enough to hit a few good shots under the gun in my career,’ said G-Mac. ‘I’m a guy that certainly embraces the high-pressure scenarios. I guess I’ve been blessed with some level of fortitude and I’ve often wondered where I got it from. ‘Over the past 10 years I’ve worked it out that I got it from my mum. She’s an MS sufferer and a pretty tough cookie. Two things she gave me are perspective and some strength of mind. I would love to get a chance to test it out again this weekend.’ McIroy and McDowell celebrate together after Europe's remarkable comback victory in 2012 . The European team poses for a photo ahead of their attempt to win a third Ryder Cup in a row . McDowell hit Europe’s last shot of the 2010 Ryder Cup and the first one two years later. In three appearances he has experienced losing and winning in America as well as being the hero at Celtic Manor. ‘I’ve certainly ridden that Ryder Cup rollercoaster,’ he said, smiling. This time he is experiencing . something slightly different — being part of a team who are heavy favourites. ‘It is an unusual scenario but we’re very proud of the label,’ he said. McDowell helped McIlroy adjust to the competition as a rookie but the younger man has moved on . ‘We watched a video in the team room last night showing the growth of the European Tour and how we’ve gone from getting drummed in every Ryder Cup to the turning points with Tony Jacklin and Seve to the present day where we’ve won seven of the last nine. ‘What we’re not going to do is get sucked in by that favourites tag. We like being favourites but it’s important to play like underdogs. That’s what we are going for.’ Away from the course, McDowell began this Ryder Cup qualifying process by getting married and ended it last month by becoming a parent. Now it is back to playing big brother. After his struggles at Medinah, he is ready to lead by example once more.
grown. Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell have had friends now . The Northern Irish pair have played together at both of the last two Ryder Cups with some success . Now he was world No 1 and a major suing his former management company, Horizon, better friends than we were going into it, so Graeme McDowell said on Tuesday that he was McIlroy again . Europe captain Paul McGinley has level as the guy he is playing with,’ he said.