Graeme McDowell says his defence of this week’s RBC Heritage Classic defence will bring down the first third of his season as he then targets the remaining two thirds of his 2014 season.
A year ago, McDowell became the first Irish-born winner of the event and in also claiming his first regular PGA Tour win here on Hilton Head Island.
He arrived on Saturday afternoon from Augusta where he missed the Masters halfway cut for a fifth occasion in seven appearances.
Graeme McDowell listens intently to a question ahead of his 2014 RBC Heritage Classic defence. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
And after the ‘scare’ of Monday’s official launch to his RBC Heritage Classic defence, the father-to-be indicated this week’s $US 5.8m event will bring down the curtain on the first third of his competitive year.
“We are just kind of halfway through for the PGA Tour season but for my season, I kind of have my season in thirds, really,” he said.
“I feel like this is a third done for me after this tournament. I’ll get ready for my second third, which is the summer, through the FedEx playoffs.
“And then my kind of last third is kind of Ryder Cup through Race to Dubai and things like that. I’m about a third ‑‑ I’m kind of midterm break, if you like, coming up, a third of the way through.
“I’ve got a little bit of time off coming up where I’ll get ready for a busy summer. And hopefully have something in the tank come FedEx, and I’ve got a lot of work to do, obviously, to be on the Ryder Cup team. I’m focused on that and playing well every week.”
And after going onto Twitter to rate his Masters effort as an ‘F’ and today readjusting that to a ‘C minus’, McDowell was asked to rate his year to date, and marked by having made the cut in five from five stroke-play events up to the Masters including T7th in the AT & T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and T9th in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
As well, McDowell could be pleased with an official T5th in February’s WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship
” My first third I would give myself, depending on what happens this week, barring a win this week, I would say probably B+, you know. “Shows potential, but improvement required,” something along those lines (laughter),” he said.
“I feel like my results have maybe flattered me a little bit. I haven’t played as well as my consistent top 10’s have proven.
“I feel like there’s a lot of room, kind of what I was saying with my fade. I need to get my fade back in the bag before I can really compete at the top level. But I’m close.”
McDowell will commence his Hilton Head defence at 8.20am local time in the company of Americans Brandt Snedeker and former FedEx Cup Series winner Bill Haas.
