McDowell - 59 is possible

US Open champion can see 60 being broken for first time

Last updated: 28th July 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

McDowell - 59 is possible

McDowell: first-ever 59 recently

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Graeme McDowell thinks that the European Tour's first-ever 59 is a possibility at this week's Irish Open - just days after he shot the magic figure for the first time.

The US Open achieved the feat whilst playing with his father, uncle and a friend at the Valley course in Portrush where he managed 12 birdies and just a single bogey.

"I was quite nervous actually - it's like a 147 in snooker, although maybe not quite as good as that," explained McDowell on the eve of Thursday's opening round at Killarney.

"I was sort of trying to put pressure on myself and said I needed to birdie two of the last four.

"Then I got them and needed a par at the 195-yard last. As soon as I hit my five-iron to 12 feet I thought, 'Done it - I'm not going to three-whack from there'.

"The second putt was about six inches and it was a special feeling. I've always dreamt of doing it."

With the course at Killarney a par-71 lay-out measuring 7,161 yards - more than 700 yards longer than the one on which he scored 59 - low scoring is expected, especially after rain today softened it up.

With Paul Goydos having recently become the latest man to shot a 59 on the PGA Tour and Japanese starlet Ryo Ishikawa firing an incredible 58 to win a tournament in Japan earlier in the season, McDowell believes someone could go sub-60 in Ireland this week.

"It could happen," he added. "If it remains soft and not much wind I think the putting surfaces are good enough - that's the key to shooting very low."