McDowell confident of making mark
The North’s Graeme McDowell has done his homework on St Andrews and hopes it will stand him in good stead for this week’s Open Championship.
The Portrush golfer has a good recent record around the Old Course, having shot a course-record 62 in the first round of the dunhill Links in October.
He unfortunately lost that tournament to Stephen Gallacher after dumping his approach to the first hole in the burn guarding the green in a play-off.
But that has not had an adverse effect on the 25-year-old and he believes he is well-placed to do well this week.
“I look back on the dunhill with fond memories. I made a mistake off the tee [on the play-off hole] but I know I can score well round this course,” he said.
“It is a golf course which I have paid a lot of attention to and I feel like I am doing well. But St Andrews is one of these places when you see something new every time you play it so I feel I am still learning the place to a certain extent.”
McDowell arrived in Scotland well rested and looking to better his debut in the Open 12 months ago when he missed the cut at Troon.
“I feel very well prepared. I had the week off last week and I am generally feeling pretty good about my game,” said the 2001 Walker Cup winner, whose best finish in Europe this year is joint 13th.
“I have been working hard all year and to be fair I really have not seen the results and I have been getting a little frustrated.
“I feel like I have found a couple of keys this week, I am working on trying to free things up a little bit and just trying to start playing some golf a little more.”
