The Diary: G-Mac sees big picture as fan left fighting for life

THERE was a serious incident at the side of Congressional’s 11th fairway as Graeme McDowell and his group arrived at the hole when a male spectator went into cardiac arrest.

The stricken man, who was not named although his age was given as 30, received prompt medical attention from on-site paramedics before he was transported off the course and into an ambulance.

“We heard someone was having some problems over there,” McDowell said after his opening round. “And that puts things in perspective for you.

“You’re out there trying to do your best, but it certainly puts golf in perspective when you see someone obviously fighting for their life.

“We hope that person is doing okay right now.”

No medical update was available on the spectator, other than he was taken to a Washington DC area hospital.

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THERE was incident of a more genial nature earlier in McDowell’s round, at the ninth hole.

McDowell had sent his second shot on the par-five 636-yarder to the edge of the deep ravine that guards the green, only to see playing partner Louis Oosthuizen drill the ball to exactly the same spot.

The British Open champion from South Africa and his Irish fellow major winner had been chatty all through their round together but it took closeness to a new level when they arrived at the landing area to see Oosthuizen’s ball was touching the US Open champion’s.

A rules official was brought in and McDowell was allowed to move his ball a club’s length away.

“Two balls hitting, I’ve never seen anything like that before,” McDowell said. “On a green, maybe, but never on a fairway.”

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NO WONDER Shane Lowry looked slightly bemused when he was whisked away from an interview with RTÉ radio’s Greg Allen following his US Open debut round of one-over-par 71 and shepherded by a USGA official onto the stage in the interview flash zone, which allows reporters to speak to players straight after their rounds.

“There’s lots of people who want to speak with you,” the female official called to him as he took his place in front of the microphones, smiled sheepishly and took his unexpected turn in the spotlight.

As he did so, the official asked a colleague where “Chez” was needed next. Turns out she thought Shane was Chez Reavie, his playing partner who took an early tournament lead at one under par.

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ENGLAND’S Robert Rock finally arrived at Congressional Country Club yesterday morning having shelled out more than €17,000 in legal fees to secure a last-minute visa to enter the United States.

Rock made headlines last Sunday when he won his maiden European Tour title at his 208th attempt when he landed the Italian Open in Turin, and then scrambled to get to Washington DC to take up his place in the US Open.

The 34-year-old, known to his fellow pros as “Rockstar”, had been granted an extension by the USGA to register for the US Open after the Tuesday deadline and once his visa was finally cleared it was all systems go to make his 2.19pm tee time.

“Flew into New York and landed at half past 11 last night — drove straight down here and arrived at 3.30,” Rock said. “The taxi was about $1,000 (€700) to get down here but I was in no mood to argue.”

A further drawback for Rock’s hopes of clawing some of that expense back in prize money was the fact that the he had not managed to play a single practice hole on Congressional’s tough Blue Course.