Graeme McDowell has reluctantly stepped down from catching this week’s lucrative Wells Fargo Championship coach.

McDowell was all set to catch up with fellow U.S. Open champion,Rory McIlroy who is returning to competition for a first time since hisdisappointing Masters showing.

However McDowell has cited tiredness and a illness and a hectic up-coming schedule for not contesting the $US 6.5m event being played at Quail Hollow where McIlroy reigned supreme in 2010.

Graeme McDowell sits out this week’s Wells Fargo Championship citing tiredness and a hectic up-coming schedule.

McDowell advised officials in Charlotte, North Carolina of hisdecision following a no frills final round 72 last Sunday in New Orleans.

McDowell ended in a distant share of 57th place andwell behind American Jason Dufner who captured his first PGA Tour title justsix days before his marriage.

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans was intended to be the first of five events in succession for McDowell that includes next week’s Players hampionship and an appearance in the Volvo WorldMatch-Play Championship starting in Spain on May 17th.

McDowell is then teeing up a week later in the European Tourflagship BMW PGA at Wentworth.

“With my upcoming busy schedule, I have withdrawn from the WellsFargo event this week,” said McDowell on Twitter.

“I was a little under the weather both physically and with my gamelast week in New Orleans.

“I very much wanted to play Quail Hollow, but didn’t want to gothere undercooked.  Practice and rest forme this week.  See you at the Players.”

McIlroy will turn 23 on Friday and no doubt be looking for abetter celebration than last year when he missed the cut in his Quail Hollowdefence.

And also missing this week will be new Masters champion, BubbaWatson who confessed after Sunday’s last round in Louisiana he’s already tiedof signing Masters replica flags.