Three bogeys cost McDowell Singapore triumph

GRAEME MCDOWELL missed out on a first victory in over 15 months with three bogeys in succession on the final day of the Barclays Singapore Open.

McDowell went to the front with just four holes to play but three dropped shots in succession from the 14th led to an eventual three-over par 74 and a share of fifth place.

England’s Ian Poulter ended a three-year European Tour winless drought in posting a closing 72 to win by a stroke from China’s Wen-chong Liang (70) while the Australian duo of Scott Hend (68) and Adam Scott (69) were next best on eight-under par.

Poulter’s €554,127 cash prize is his highest on the European Tour while he’s also sprinted from 29th to 10th on the Race to Dubai money list and third on the 2010 Ryder Cup European Points table.

Despite McDowell’s disappointment his €119,000 prize cheque has lifted him to 31st on the Race to Dubai money list and into 20 on the European Ryder Cup points table.

McDowell said: “It’s very disappointing because I walked up onto the 14th green and noticed I was leading by one but I just seemed to give myself too much to do on a relentless golf course.

“My pace-putting just let me down and then after missing a six-footer on 14 I found myself just pushing too hard at 15. When I got to 16, I was just frustrated.

“I don’t mind going down fighting but it was just great to be back in the mix because I did play lovely this week.

Victory would have earned McDowell a place in Thursday’s starting $7m (€4.7m) WGC HSBC Champions event in Shanghai but instead, he will spend the week in Portrush before heading back out to the Far East for next week’s UBS Hong Kong Open.

Peter Lawrie (74) was next best of the Irish in 24th on two-under par while Pádraig Harrington carded a closing 69 to end 14 places further back at level par.

Harrington: “I didn’t play great and I didn’t make too many things happen, so it just wasn’t my week. I played a lot better towards the end of the week so I am now looking forward to going to Shanghai. I am more confident leaving Singapore than I was arriving here earlier in the week.’’

Harrington’s effort did little for his Race to Dubai aspirations as he dropped a place to 17th on the money list.

Darren Clarke rounded off the Irish representation in carding a 75 for a six-over par total.