McDowell showed a commendable level of ambition in 2006 when he successfully came through the qualifying rounds for the US and British Open Championships. He has now followed that up by again getting into both major championships this year and his rounds of 67 and 64 to lead the way at Sunningdale on Monday were especially praiseworthy given that he was taking pills to counter the effects of influenza.

While McDowell was battling his way into the Open, McGrane, who had given his season a massive boost with a final round of 65 for a share of 3rd in the French Open at the weekend, and Murphy were already in Smurfit European Open mode. Nothing wrong with that at all, it could be fairly argued given the handsome €3. 6 million purse, except that both are surely young and fit enough to have seen and recognised the greater picture.

"I was entered but it just didn’t seem to make sense to me", said Murphy. "I could still make it this week but would probably have to win. But my absence certainly shouldn’t be interpreted as a lack of ambition on my part. Not at all. I’d love to play at Carnoustie but I knew that the two rounds at Sunningdale could have cost me this week. I am trying too hard all the time. It showed in Austria after trying for the US Open at Walton Heath. I played well in Austria but my concentration was bad for the last two rounds."

Everybody will have their own view on that rationale but it certainly seems to be shared by Murphy’s fellow Irishman.

"No, I wasn’t tempted to try and qualify", McGrane declared. "I can’t see the logic in it at all. I play plenty of golf, why should I want to play another tournament. I’d like to play the Open but I would have to take time and tournaments off to fit it in. Taking tournaments off for the chance to play in the Open is not worth it for me. If I qualified automatically to play in the Open, obviously I would play. To qualify, you’d have to take a week or two off to feel you were giving it every opportunity. At the moment, though, we are playing a run of big tournaments so, to take one off against the chance to play in an Open, is not a bet in my book."

When it was put to McGrane that this outlook might sound like a lack of ambition on his part, the 36 year-old Meathman retorted: "Stupid question. I play 33 tournaments a year and people tell me I possibly play too many, so chuck in another one and make it 34. in my opinion that’s nonsense. All the qualifying is detesting."

McGrane’s brilliant 65 in Paris earned him a career record €190, 000. Obviously, he is a professional in the most literal meaning of the word and he can’t be blamed for that. Whether he should spread his wings a little further (he could surely afford it considering he has accumulated €341, 553 for this year and career earnings of €1.554), is another matter. As for Paris, he feels it was an occasion when he took full advantage of the opportunity.

"I had my chance but that was last week and this is this week", he commented. "I took a little bit of satisfaction going forward over the week rather than going back. I was lucky to have a 65 on the Sunday of a tournament with big money. You could do it in Russia and win peanuts. To be fair that’s where a little bit of luck comes in. It was a tough course in Paris. You know, every week it is the same thing, long rough, fast greens and tight pins.

"I didn’t feel any great pressure coming down the stretch. I was lucky enough that I was playing and putting well. I felt I could birdie every hole. It was very easy for me to keep it going because I was in the right mind. Things were going my way. The trick is to try to get into the zone as often as possible."