Steady start for Irish trio as field in eye of a storm

GRAEME MCDOWELL’S fondness for a tougher golf course test was rewarded with an encouraging level par score on the opening day of the Singapore Open.

McDowell and Peter Lawrie carded par 71s on the opening day of the $US5m event being played on the Sentosa course.

The duo, along with Paul McGinley who signed off for a 73, were the only Irish among a contingent of nine who managed to complete their round after an electrical storm mid-afternoon forced a three-hour delay to play.

Triple Major winning Pádraig Harrington and Gary Murphy were the best of those still to finish with each at level par when play was halted.

England’s Ian Poulter returned from a six-week break to shoot a five-under par 66 and lead by one from Ernie Els and Taipei’s Yin-shin Chang while World Number Two, Phil Mickelson holed a second shot for eagle in a 69.

McDowell spent last week off initially getting over the shock of missing the Portugal Masters halfway cut, and an event won by Lee Westwood with a 23-under par victory tally.

In fact, the past five Race to Dubai events have been won with four-round score averaging 21-under par.

However McDowell is predicting there will be no such winning score in this week’s initial co-sanctioned Asian and European Tour event.

“After the results on the Tour over the past weeks when guys have been winning with 20-under something scores, it’s refreshing to come to a rather tough golf course where you have to play proper golf,” said McDowell.

“In many ways the tougher the set-up the better it suits my game. You have to drive the ball well. You have to position the ball well. You have to think well and you have to scramble well, and I prefer this type of set-up.

“So it was a good tough test today and a 71 is a decent start.

“But after the frustration of the Portugal Masters where my head wasn’t really with it, I had last week off back home to rest for a week and also to get my head screwed back on, so I am feeling pretty good this week.”

However unless McDowell captures this week’s event, and also a first victory this season, he will also have next week off as he’s ineligible to contest the $US7m WGC–HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.

“I would rather not have next week off so the goal is to get into Shanghai and besides I have already won one big Barclays sponsored event, and it would be nice to add a second”, added McDowell.

Lawrie was also pleased with level par and also supported McDowell’s view on the course.

“There is no way anyone is going to win this week by shooting 23 or 25-under because this is a very stern test of golf for everyone this week,” said Lawrie.