Graeme McDowell tamed PGA National’s famed ‘Bear Pit’ to finish 5th at the Honda Classic and secure a place in this week’s WGC – Cadillac Championship on the Blue Monster course at Trump National Doral.

He’s done a superb job handling the ‘Monster’ through 54-holes to be one under par.

And now with a round to play in the first WGC event of the new season, McDowell reckons he should be able to take the bite out the ‘Snake Pit’, and the closing three holes of the Copperhead course and venue for next week’s Valspar Championship.

The menacing-looking Snake Pit model beside the 16th tee.

“I have to be honest as I was feeling tied earlier in the week coming off the back of the Honda Classic and it was a more mentally demanding week than I was expecting,” he said.

“But as this week has gone on I have felt stronger and stronger so I will be resting up before teeing up over in Tampa.

“I haven’t played the Copperhead course before but then I drove down from Orlando the Monday of the Honda Classic to have a look and play the course.

“So I don’t think the ‘Snake Pit’ will have as much bite as the ‘Bear Trap’ and I actually liked the golf course as the front nine is very much in front of you with big, flat greens whereas the back nine is a little quirkier and with smaller greens, so I liked the course.

The Snake Pit – the final three holes of the Copperhead course.

“It’s a good track and really suited my eye well, and it’s a golf course I have never played but then most of the lads out here said that I would really like the course and that’s why I have decided to add the tournament to my schedule.

“There was a question mark over whether I would qualify for the Cadillac but then after making sure of that through the Honda Classic I am going to stick with playing the Valspar, Bay Hill and then I’m into the Match-Play the week after in Austin.”