US Open champioon Graeme McDowell will be looking to end a run of two missed cuts and in what will be his seventh appearance with his best finish being 26th in 2010.
McDowell had spent a long time on the practice range working with long-time coach, Pete Cowen and actually having celebrated a seven-year anniversary working together.
Peter Cowen has now been working with Graeme McDowell for seven years. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“We just sat down recently having looked over his seven-year stats and saying to him that they prove what a great player he is,” said Cowen.
“Sometimes Graeme doesn’t realise he is a ‘player’ and not a bomber, and I’ve been trying to get that through to him because he gets frustrated when he plays alongside other players who hit it 30 yards past him.
“So I have been trying to get that through to him that is a player and he’s been a top-20 player for the last four years, and maintained that without winning another Major.
“We saw he won three times last year, so I’ve been harping to him that we need to keep on top of things.
“But the thing about Graeme’s golf swing is that it funky but it is consistently funky, and it’s his own and he’s had it for as long as he’s been playing golf.
“And by funky I mean his left wrist position which is his own pattern
“So it’s his own pattern and all I am trying to get him to do is take more control of that so he plays to his strengths.
“Overall Graeme is in a good place being married and expecting their first child, and while he hasn’t played that much this year he’s done nicely.”
McDowell will tee up at 8.18am local time (1.18pm Irish) with McIlroy out at 8.29am (1.29pm Irish) and Darren Clarke, who has contested the event nine years running from 1998 but not since 2006.
