Fort Worth, Texas …
An artist acting as the official walking scorer with the group featuring Graeme McDowell painted the perfect picture of the Northern Irishman’s round on day two of the Dean & Deluca Invitational at Fort Worth, Texas.
Bill Sterchak is a leading artist, carver and jeweller who lives in McKinney, Texas and his work can be viewed on www.sterchak.com
He is also is one of hundreds of volunteers who give-up their time to ensure the PGA Tour events can function at the fullest.
And after walking 18 holes in very difficult sanua-like conditions, Bill was spot on with his assessment of McDowell’s round.
Texas artist Bill Sterchak paints a great picture after Graeme McDowell’s second round at the Dean & Deluca Invitational.
“Graeme struggled a bit early on but really turned it around over the last nine holes, so his score of 70 was very solid, so he can very pleased”, said Bill.
“I knew he a class player but he is also very friendly and engaging with everyone as we walked around the course so it was a great pleasure to walk the round with him, Danny (Lee) and Robert (Streb).”
McDowell added a second-round level par 70 to remain at four-under par heading to the final two days of the $US 6.7m event and being played on the famed Colonial course.
It left the current World No. 87 trailing only just two shots behind the leading foursome of the American trio of Webb Simpson (66), Kevin Kisner (67) and Scott Piercy (66) along with New Zealander Danny Lee (64).
McDowell’s round included a third hole double bogey when he missed the fairway right but then found rough just short of the green ahead of three-putting while he went bogey, birdie and bogey from the sixth.
But it was a different scenario over his inward half with McDowell landing his second shot at the 1oth to just two-feet for a virtual tap-in birdie while at the next he got up-and-down from 118-yards for birdie.
McDowell then got back to level for his round when he holed a 10-footer at the 14th for birdie ahead of four closing pars.
“It was very, very hot out there this afternoon but then we got fortunate with the draw as those guys out this morning had to deal with stronger winds than we did,” said McDowell.
“So, after my start I was just happy to hang in the way I did. I had a couple of three-putts on the front half that really compounded my errors.
“I also three-putted the sixth out of the blue, as well.
“But it was great to make the turn and say to myself “Let’s try and get back to level-par for the day” and I then really played well on the back nine.
“I feel very comfortable on this golf course and I am driving the ball while my iron-play was a lot sharper then on the greens, I feel good standing over the ball.
“So, it is nice to be there or thereabouts with two rounds to play”.
