If Graeme McDowell got his way he would play the ‘Grand old lady of Australian golf’ that is Royal Melbourne for two months ahead of every Masters and British Open.
McDowell had just walked form the 18th green for a second day disappointed after missing a short putt for par and after taking a double on the same hole twenty four hours earlier.
Graeme McDowell checks his line of his putt on the 7th during the second round of the World Cup at Royal Melbourne (Photo: Anthony Powter)
However his displeasure was short-lived in singing the praise of the course designed by legendary Dr. Alister McKenzie, who also laid out Augusta National.
“I love Melbourne and I love this golf course, but I’m not myself because I’m very frustrated and angry because of what the set-up does to you,” he said after signing for a second round 71 to be trailing nine shots behind Dane Thomas Bjorn.
“Royal Melbourne is just a great challenge and one that I think is a lost art among the tour players.
“You get one shot a year at the British Open, and so much so that at one point I was thinking I need to come and spend two months down here and learn how to play this type of golf again because to win the Open, this is what you’ve got to master.
“I can see now why the likes of great Australians like Greg Norman, Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle and Ian Baker-Finch won British Open championships as this golf course is lost art.
“Even on someone like myself who grew up on links courses. I don’t get a chance to experience this firmness and speed and brutality around the greens. It’s brilliant. I need to embrace the challenge a bit more this weekend.
“Because I’ve made so many birdies and so many great strides forward, it’s driving me insane to throw as many back to the course as I have.
“And I was speaking with Jonas Blixt and he just told me there’s a punch bag back at the hotel, so we’re going to meet there this evening and beat the s*** out of it.”
However while McDowell ‘loves’ the challenge this week fellow Irishman Shane Lowry continues to struggle bogeying his last two holes in a round of 72 to drop to a share of 45th spot in the 60-player field.
