GOLF:EXPERIENCE TOLD in the end as major champion Graeme McDowell denied two fellow Irishmen and added another string to his already decorative bow in 2010 by landing the €3 million Andalucia Masters in Valderrama yesterday.
The US Open winner was paired alongside fellow northerner Gareth Maybin in the final group once more, with Damien McGrane, in the group ahead, still within striking distance.
The leading pair, from the Antrim coast, took a four-shot lead into the final day, but densely tree-lined fairways, small greens and swirling winds ensured a white-knuckle ride all the way.
In the end, McDowell was the more composed of the Irish triumvirate and closed out his seventh career win, and third of the season, with a final round 74 for a three-under 281 aggregate.
Maybin was too errant off the tee and had to hit too many approaches around or under the cork trees, while McGrane’s chances went up in smoke when he haemorrhaged valuable shots on the closing stretch.
Maybin signed for a 76, compared to McGrane’s 72, to share second alongside Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen, who shot 69, the equal low round of the day. That quartet were the only players to finish under par as the “Old Lady” of European golf bared her teeth.
“I can draw comparisons with today and my last round at Pebble Beach, both 74s. It was a war of attrition, last man standing,” said a relieved McDowell, who picked up the €500,000 winner’s cheque to take a considerable chunk out of Martin Kaymer’s lead in the Race to Dubai standings. The trio in second took home €233,710 each.
“I’ve punched a bit of a hole in Martin’s lead and I’m going to Shanghai with my mojo working. I’ve started to move into the upper echelons in the world rankings and my confidence is growing all the time.”
As the game’s leading lights head east for this week’s WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, McDowell travels in the knowledge he has broken into the world’s top 10.
With Kaymer failing to fire at Valderrama, his chances of assuming Tiger Woods’ world number one spot quickly evaporated when he finished tied 21st.
Instead, Lee Westwood dislodged Woods after 281 weeks at the top.
Speaking to a teleconference from his home yesterday while he rests his calf muscle before next week’s Champions in Shanghai, Westwood was in no doubt this was his finest moment despite not actually being on a golf course.
“To be able to sit down and say there’s nobody better right now, I think it has to be the highlight,” the 37-year-old said.
McDowell’s win cut Kaymer’s lead in the Race to Dubai to €528,581 with four events to play. Kaymer has €3,167,447 compared to McDowell’s €2,628,866.
G-Mac now has a genuine chance of catching Kaymer ahead of the season-ending, €5.37million Dubai World Championship, where a €1.07million bonus is on offer plus the €897,500 first prize.
The final day in southern Spain quickly became a battle of wits where the premium was placed on pars as opposed to birdies.
McDowell was slow out of the blocks and had to wait until the ninth for his only birdie of the day.
Yet again Maybin made a disastrous start, with three straight bogeys, but battled to remain competitive. The back-pedalling by the unshaven final pairing opened the door for McGrane, who turned in one under.
Further birdies came at the 11th and 15th where the Meath pro holed-out from a bunker to add to a first pitch-in at the seventh. At five under McGrane was leading the tournament, but that’s where the 39-year-old’s journey turned sour as he dropped four shots in the last three holes.
The 2008 China Open winner is normally a fairways and greens man, so it came as a surprise when he tested the boundaries of the course at 16 and 17. A pull hook approach at 16 was fortunate to stay in bounds, while he carved his second right and to the limits of the course at the notorious 17th. McGrane’s third was played inches from the boundary wall and he would eventually finish double-bogey, bogey, bogey.
Maybin also came unstuck at 17 when he and McDowell’s second shots were pushed right onto the bank by the cross wind. The winner sensibly played a six-iron to the heart of the green, whereas the Ballyclare pro appeared rushed under pressure and found the water hazard before bravely getting up and down for bogey.
It meant McDowell carried a two-shot lead to the par four 18th where he sensibly played it as a par five to win by two as Maybin also made a bogey five.
Of the other Irish, Shane Lowry signed off with a 75 to be six over, two ahead of Darren Clarke and four ahead of Michael Hoey as all three shot 75s.
Peter Lawrie dropped back to 13 over after a 77.
Race To Dubai
1 Martin Kaymer (Ger) €3,167,447
2 Graeme McDowell (N Ire) €2,638,866
3 Lee Westwood (Eng) €1,878,307
4 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) €1,817,803
5 Ernie Els (Rsa) €1,807,313
6 M-A Jiménez (Spa) €1,775,001
7 Edoardo Molinari (Ita) €1,754,398
8 Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) €1,747,726
9 Ian Poulter (Eng) €1,478,118
10 Paul Casey (Eng) €1,438,864
11 Francesco Molinari (Ita) €1,341,460
12 Alvaro Quiros (Spain) €1,259,814
13 Ross Fisher (Eng) €1,253,687
14 Rory McIlroy (N Ire) €1,196,200
15 Rhys Davies (Wal) €1,170,930
281 (-3)
Graeme McDowell (N Ire)68 67 72 74
(€ 500,000)
283 (-1)
Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 71 75 68 69
Damien McGrane (Ire)68 73 70 72
Gareth Maybin (N Ire)69 68 70 76
(€ 223,710 each)
284 (level)
Thomas Bjorn (Den) 72 69 71 72
Joost Luiten (Ned) 74 69 72 69
(€ 116,100)
285 (+1)
Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 70 70 71 74
Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 71 70 73 71
