Graeme McDowell will have his ‘beeper’ switched in readiness to dash back to Orlando should his wife give birth early to the couple’s first child.
McDowell is returning to competition for this week’s $8m Barclays Championship and the opening event for the four-tournament Play-Off Series.
The Portrushman qualified in being placed 43rd on the FedEx Cup points list and along with fellow Ulsterman Rory McIlroy they’re among just 125 players vying for the £1,44m first prize cheque.
The former US Open winner had last week off after finishing T46th behind McIlroy at Vahalla.
However unless his new daughter decides to enter the world early then McDowell will take off next week’s Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston ahead of the baby’s birth on August 28th.
Graeme McDowell will have his beeper switched on this week in case he needs to dash back to Orlando. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)
“We’ve been told the baby is due on August 28th so no matter what happens I will be at home next week for the birth,” he said.
“It will help to focus my mind this week given I am not playing next week so I’ll be looking for a strong performance this week.
“I looked back to the PGA Championship and really didn’t have the switch flicked on at Valhalla and I need to do that this week.
“Also I’ll have the beeper in the bag this week, so I’m on call, on call just in case the baby does decide to come early.”
McDowell got his first look at this week’s Ridgeway County Club course located in Paramus, New Jersey and around a 45-minute trip across the Hudson River to the heart of the Big Apple.
And while McDowell has not played the course before he’s a real fan of the designer, the famed Pennsylvania-born A W Tillinghast who designed no fewer than 34 courses alone in New Jersey including Baltusrol and venue for the 2016 PGA Championship.
“I’ve played okay on a number of Tillinghast courses including Baltusrol and Winged Foot on Long Island, so they’re courses I have played okay on.
“Kenny my caddy knows his way around Baltusrol really well and I would say he’s a Tillinghast specialist as he caddied for Thomas (Bjorn) when he was runner up to Phil (Mickelson) in ’05.
“So from what I’ve seen so far I already like the feel of the course and looking forward to playing well this week after chilling at home last week.
And American Matt Kuchar, who is fourth on the FedEx Cup table behind McIlroy, singled out the four-time Major winner for special praise.
“Rory’s been very impressive,” said Kuchar.
“I played with him the first two rounds of the Bridgestone Invitational after having played a practice round Wednesday with Tiger, and we know Tiger’s won there as much as anybody, it just seems Rory knows how to play that course really well.
“There wasn’t a hole those two days where Rory would not throw it down the middle of the fairway. So when he does that, the game can look awfully easy and he can certainly make golf courses look very easy.”
McDowell has been drawn with American George McNeill and Korean Seung-Yul Noh for the opening two rounds while McIlroy is out with Ryder Cup rivals Jimmy Walker and Bubba Watson.
