8th May 2012 | Golf
Players Championship Golf Tips: Graeme McDowell
Game has bounced back to 2010 levels and leads the tour for driving accuracy
Last season was always going to be a come down for Graeme McDowell, especially after the annus mirabilis in which he won the US Open and Ryder Cup. Thankfully the weight of expectation seems to have lifted in 2012 and results have steadily improved.
He has registered four top-25s on the PGA Tour already this year, with a runners-up spot at Bay Hill his best. He cemented his return to form with a T12 at Augusta, a course he hasn’t enjoyed in the past. A T57 in New Orleans can be overlooked, as he was feeling unwell, illness also kept him out of the Wells Fargo last week. The enforced rest might be no bad thing with a busy schedule ahead of him.
I’m sure McDowell is keen to get back to TPC Sawgrass having left the tournament with some unfinished business. He led going into the final round last year only for a lacklustre 79 dropped him out of contention. It was an uncharacteristic lapse from the Northern Irishman.
He currently leads the tour in driving accuracy, and lies 20th for scoring average; stats that suggest he is near the top of his game. At 66/1 (Ladbrokes) he rates an excellent each way bet, with ¼ odds for a top-six finish.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 14:07 8th May, 2012 but subject to change
