US Open: Graeme McDowell avoids mistakes in opening 69 at Pebble Beach
Friday 14 June 2019 03:37, UK
Graeme McDowell fulfilled his vow to avoid too much reminiscing about his 2010 US Open win as he opened his 2019 campaign with a bogey-free 69.
McDowell was perfectly happy for playing-partners Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson to garner most of the attention on their group on the first day at Pebble Beach as he "plodded" his way around and was the only player among the morning starters to keep a bogey off his card.
The Northern Irishman was content to grind out the pars and avoid trouble around the iconic links, and he duly parred his first 12 holes before he flicked a wedge to four feet at the fourth and rolled in the putt for his first birdie of the tournament.
Two excellent blows at the long sixth set up another birdie for the 39-year-old, who arrived at Pebble Beach on a high after he nailed a 30-foot putt for par on the final hole of the Canadian Open on Sunday which secured his place in The 148th Open at his home course of Royal Portrush.
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
"I wasn't coming here to focus on 2010, I was coming here to try and compete this week," said McDowell, who won his fourth PGA Tour title in the Dominican Republic in March. "I feel like my game is trying to get in the right direction.
"I was looking for an under-the-radar grouping this week, but I didn't really get it. But in a funny way, I felt nearly under the radar because with Phil and Dustin there, I felt like it was all eyes on those two guys out there and I was just kind of plodding around, doing my thing. So that felt okay to me.
"And I executed really well today, tee-to-green, and made very few mistakes. Wedge play was a little off, but apart from that, I felt really comfortable on the golf course, and, like I say, felt like I executed my game plan really well."
McDowell's 69 was the best score of his high-profile threeball as Johnson mixed four birdies and four bogeys in a 71, while Mickelson stuttered to a 72, but he played down the significance of outscoring his playing partners.
"It's only Thursday, so I'd rather best them come Sunday," McDowell added. "But that was fun. I had a little anticipation in the body the last couple days, to be honest. I didn't hit it great in practice, but sometimes that's healthy.
"I think sometimes when you go out and flush it on a Tuesday or Wednesday, you nearly take your eye off the ball for a second. I didn't take my eye off the ball much the last couple days.
"I was a little anxious. But I got out there this morning and I hit some nice shots and I relaxed pretty quickly."
Live US Open Golf
