McDowell revels in ‘amazing’ return

GRAEME McDOWELL could hardly have anticipated the ovation that greeted him on arrival on the first tee at Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Club at 8am yesterday for the opening round of the JP McManus Pro-Am.

The thousands encircling the tee box and lining the fairways took his breath away but that was nothing to compare with the cheers that rang out as he drove off and then walked the fairways with amateur partners Jerry Chang, Ciaran McManus and Guy Senan.

“This was the perfect place to come for a couple of days, to see the guys and get the response from the Irish crowds that I’ve had,” he enthused. “That was an amazing reception out there this morning. Everyone is so excited about it. It is great having everybody coming up to you and congratulating you. This is ideal. Perfect. And then there was the presentation on the 18th green of a little memento from JP and Noreen.