G-Mac: The most difficult nine I’ve ever played

GRAEME McDOWELL revealed that the closing stages of his decisive Ryder Cup match with Hunter Mahan at Celtic Manor was the “most difficult nine holes of golf I’ve ever played in my life.”

That seems hard to believe from a man who had held his head en route to victory in this year’s US Open at Pebble Beach when many of the game’s biggest names were losing theirs.

Captain Colin Montgomerie gave him arguably the most difficult role yesterday, that of anchor man and as his match went through the turn, he sensed that his battle with Mahan could decide the destination of the famous trophy.