Graeme McDowell's 2010 season was sensational. His first major victory came in the US Open at Pebble Beach and then he topped that at The Ryder Cup. McDowell hit a 6-iron to 15 feet for a birdie on the 16th to take the lead and then win the cup for Europe.

Then completing the season at Sherwood, from a deficit from a four-shot and made a pair of 20-foot birdie putts on the 18th hole to beat Tiger Woods in a playoff. No one had ever come back from more than two shots behind in any pro-trournament and then beaten Woods.

However following up a dream season like that with another was a task way more daunting.

Graeme started the new season at Kapalua where he shot 62 on the last day and missed the playoff by one shot, and then he flew around the world to Abu Dhabi and tied for third. A decent start but he felt something was already missing.

McDowell took a break to unwind but he's not sure he managed to do that. He says taking a break in the middle of the season, you never really switch-off. And when he did come back on, he already felt key components of his game missing.

Graeme had a lead at the Players Championship by one-shot but closed with a 79. He had never missed a shot in practice at the British Open but hit a double bogey in the opening hole.

“Last year,everything went right. This year, everything went wrong” was what he said.

Even then, McDowell says he has learned a lot more about himself during the forgettable season of 2011 than his 2010 dream season. The biggest lesson he learned was “Your own expectations are dangerous”.