McDowell Sounds A ‘Beware The Injured Golfer’ Warning At AT & T Pro-Am.

Graeme McDowell might now be suggesting ‘Beware the injured golfer’ after a second straight inspiring effort on day two of the AT & T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

McDowell added a one-under par 70 in tougher second round conditions, and that included steady rain in the early afternoon, to Thursday’s opening four-under par 68 to be at five-under in total and just outside the top-20 in his opening event of 2019.

Indeed, McDowell is just five shots from the lead held by four players – England’s Paul Casey (64) who partnered McDowell for the two rounds, and the American trio of Phil Mickelson (68), Lucas Glover (66) and Scott Langley (69) – as the wet conditions got worse ahead of a severe storm warning then halting play late in the day and with officials deciding to then suspend the round that left some 44 players still to complete their second rounds.

Among those still to finish their round was four-time Major winning Jordan Spieth who had moved to a share of the lead with 10 holes to play.

Casey, a former Irish Open winner, and McDowell were fortunate to end their rounds at the Monterey Penisula course moments before a siren sounded to halt play.

Graeme McDowell lying just five shots from the lead after two rounds of the AT & T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

McDowell continued to tee-up with his left wrist heavily strapped and the legacy of bruising his lunate bone during practice over the New Year, and with the injury forcing McDowell to decline two event invitations last month.

And the Ulsterman, who admits he’s only 80% fit, continued to defy his lack of competition and after bogeying his final hole on Thursday at Pebble Beach McDowell regained the dropped shot at his very hole on day two at nearby Monterey Peninsula course.

‘G Mac’, and starting from the 10th hole, dropped a shot at the 13th but quickly made amends with birdies at the 14th and 16th holes and head to the turn at six-under par in total.

McDowell then rattled off six straight pars before dropping a second shot of his round at the seventh hole or the 16th of his round before a pair of closing pars.

Helping to inspire the Ulsterman was Casey with the Englishman storming his way to a share of the lead at 10-under par thanks to a sizzling seven-under par 64.

Casey started the round at three-under but was nine-under at the turn thanks to an eagle and four birdies.

The 41-year old, and chasing a third PGA Tour triumph, cut a swath through the field jumping nearly 30 spots thanks his score of 64.

The Phoenix-based Brit completed his outward half sandwiching a seventh-hole eagle among four birdies from his third to ninth holes.

Casey then posted a 15th hole birdie among eight homeward pars and managing to complete his day moments before a siren sounded to halt play due to adverse weather conditions.

“I played a great round of golf and I’m so happy to get done,” he said.

“We were on the last hole and I heard that horn go. And then there was a second one and then a third one which means, and I had to think for a minute, because you get one long blast, you’re done.

“But the three blasts means it’s, I guess it’s bad conditions, but you can finish the hole and I’m like we can finish the hole? I’ve never been so happy.

“I went from upset to happy in an instant. So, it was all good.”

McDowell and Casey were clearly enjoying each other’s company and with the duo catching-up for a first time since last September’s Ryder Cup.

Shane Lowry, and the only other Irish golfer in the field and also competing in the States for a first time in six months, is heading to miss Saturday’s third round cut after a horror bogey-laden 77 at Pebble Beach to just inside the top-130 at four-over par.



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