Graeme McDowell was left gob-smacked in reading coverage in the Irish press of the injury sustained when he accidently had his right hand jammed in the door of his on-course hotel room at Mission Hills in China.

Reports that McDowell’s career was in doubt and that he may be sidelined for a lengthy period, as well as suggestions McDowell may have to change jobs left the 2010 U.S. Open bewildered.

However McDowell declared in ending his appearance in the WGC – HSBC:  “Emergency averted!

“I was a little worried on Saturday morning though I’m okay now but it’s just disappointing the injury spoilt my tournament.

“I thought at the time it was a suspected fracture but it healed up well on Friday night but then it meant I had to play with a baseball grip because the injury was right at the base of my finger.

“But I padded it up on Saturday it was okay.

“Though the strange thing is some of the coverage in the Irish press as they had my career over and that I should find myself a new job (he said smiling and obviously in a tongue in cheek remark)”

McDowell indicated after his third round on Saturday that he had an x-ray lined-up but it meant ‘too much running around Shenzhen and other perils’ and instead went with the treatment.

But had the injury not go better overnight on Friday, McDowell indicated there was no way he was going to play using the baseball grip for the third round.

“It’s just one of those things and I’m just fortunate that I’ve managed to get through and play four rounds,” he said.

McDowell had iced the hand for some 30 minutes on Friday night and that helped immensely.

And McDowell will now have a week off and instead of returning to his Orlando home, his girlfriend will meet up with him in Dubai where he will spend the week working on his game at the Emirates Club under the eye of coach, Pete Cowen.

McDowell will then head south of the equator for the November 15th commencing Australian Masters being played on the famed ‘Sandbelt’ course of Kingston Heath.

“There is a really neat golden yellow jacket presented to the winner of the Australian Masters and I would love to be fitted into that jacket,” he said.

“Besides, I’m looking forward to heading back to Australia as it’s been a long time since I’ve played ‘Down Under'”.