Graeme McDowell ready to face Ryder Cup teammate Victor Dubuisson
Saturday 1 February 2020 16:21, UK
Graeme McDowell is relishing a Sunday showdown with former Ryder Cup teammate Victor Dubuisson after taking a one-shot lead over the Frenchman at the Saudi International.
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McDowell posted a four-under 66 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club to get to 12 under and a shot clear of Dubuisson, who played alongside each other in Europe's 2014 victory at Gleneagles.
The pair, who won both of their Ryder Cup foursomes matches together, will go out in the final group on Sunday as they search for their first European Tour victories since 2014 and 2015 respectively.
"I shared a car up to the course this morning with Victor [Dubuisson] and I was chatting with him and I always look out for him," McDowell said. "I had great experiences with him in 2014 at Gleneagles.
"He's such a great guy, he hasn't had the best form the last few years and I'm really, really happy to see him at the top of the leaderboard and looking forward to being with him tomorrow.
"It's going to be tough to try and play tough against him, but we're both competitors and we'll go out there and try and do our job."
McDowell mixed five birdies with a lone bogey in breezy conditions during the third round, holing back-to-back long-range putts from the 12th to help him move top of the leaderboard.
"I always tell my kids we live in a nice house because daddy can putt, that's about the heart of it, really," McDowell added. "The putter's been a little ice cold the last sort of two rounds, but I got it heated back up on the back nine.
"I'm going to have to putt well to have a chance tomorrow. Conditions were very tough today, so I'm very pleased with that back nine because I really felt like the back nine's played very difficult this week. To sneak a few birdies out there coming in was very pleasing."
Live European Tour Golf
Watch the final round of the Saudi International live on Sunday from 9.30am on Sky Sports Golf!
