The newly released 2015/16 PGA Tour schedule looks to have a first casualty in Graeme McDowell.
McDowell indicated he is more than likely to contest the 2016 French Open title, an event he captured in both 2013 and 2014, rather than tee-up in the 2016 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational.
You see, the 2016 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational is being moved next year to accommodate the Olympic Games and instead of being staged normally after The Open Championship the $9.25m event will be held next year in the week after the U.S. Open.
It means the event will clash with the French Open and despite the European Tour yet to release the 2016 Race to Dubai schedule.
Graeme McDowell (NIR) wins the Alstom Open de France by four shots, at Le Golf National, Versailles, Paris, France. Picture: David Lloyd/www.golffile.ie
“The Bridgestone next year is going to be the opposite of the French Open, which is going to cause a bit of a problem for me, especially being very close to that event, having won it twice in the last three years,” said McDowell after posting a four under par 66 on the first day of the WGC – Bridgestone Inviational.
“So it’s going to be a really tough question for me to have to answer and very difficult to answer it right now.
“I mean, I could probably see myself being in France, to be honest with you. It’s a golf course I prefer.
“It’s a tournament which I want to be loyal to because of how good they’ve been to me and how much success has been there. The Ryder Cup race is going to be heating up. There’s going to be a lot of things going on this time next year.
“I can only allude to what I might do this time next year, but we’ll just have to wait and see. Obviously, that’s a long way off, and I hope I have schedule problems.
“I hope I’ll be back in the top 20 in the world and having all these opportunities to play great golf around the world.
“It’s an interesting looking summer, and it’s going to be very interesting to see what guys choose to do.”
McDowell’s opening Firestone 66 was his equal best in 29 rounds of the event since he shot a 66 on the first day of the 2010 event.
And with a best finish in Akron in his seven years contesting the event of T22nd also in 2010 you could understand why he would want to be teeing up in the French capital.
