McDowell suffers Bay Hill horror show
Graeme McDowell today slumped to an eight-over-par 80 in the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
McDowell carded six bogeys, a triple-bogey eight on the par-five sixth and just one birdie to lie joint last in the 120-strong field.
The US Open champion had predicted the course would provide a tough test this week and was proved right on a windy opening day in Orlando.
Starting on the back nine, McDowell dropped shots on the 11th, 15th and 17th to be out in 39.
Two more bogeys followed on the first and second before McDowell looked to have stopped the rot with a birdie on the third.
However, the worst was yet to come with an eight on the par-five sixth, where McDowell went for the green in two but found the water which runs the length of the dog-leg hole.
After eventually finding the green in five, McDowell’s misery was compounded when he three-putted from 30 feet.
Little-known American Spencer Levin was setting the pace on six under par after 15 holes, three shots clear of the best scores in the clubhouse set by Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan and Daniel Chopra.
England’s Brian Davis, Scot Martin Laird and US Masters champion Phil Mickelson were among those another shot back on two under, while Tiger Woods birdied the first but was one over after 12.
