Graeme McDowell's at home in Ryder Cup manor
GRAEME MCDOWELL yesterday sent up a bright flare into the Newport skies, pointing to a Ryder Cup return in the autumn after bringing Celtic Manor’s Twenty Ten course to its knees to win the Wales Open.
While local hero Rhys Davies shot a course-record 62, it was McDowell’s 63 which secured the title by three shots and propelled him to the cusp of the automatic Ryder Cup qualification places. A little local knowledge never goes amiss and if all goes to plan in the interim, the Ulsterman will return at the end of September on a mission to help reclaim the Cup.
“This is a pretty good feather in my cap if I need the nod from the captain but I hope to play myself into the team with my own performances,” said McDowell.
“I need a big summer. I figured I had to win once, maybe twice, to make the team and this is a huge step. It was the best final round I have ever put together to win a tournament. It was dream stuff.”
In the absence of the high-profile stayaways from Celtic Manor, it was left to two, McDowell and Davies, to fight it out once overnight leader Marcel Siem went AWOL with a quadruple bogey at the short third after two visits to the water.
Davies, out in 30, blazed away spectacularly, following up a drive into the drink at the 14th with his second eagle of the round from 30 feet. But a bogey at the next presented McDowell with a three-shot cushion to take into the closing holes and he closed out the tournament coolly.
A second successive runner-up finish was more evidence from Davies of a rich talent.
If Colin Montgomerie decides he needs a Welshman in the Welsh Ryder Cup, Davies, 25, has filed a compelling application.
Luke Donald, who fought back from an opening 75 to finish third, has also enhanced his chances of a Ryder Cup return in the autumn over the past three lucrative weeks in Europe which have brought three podium finishes.