McDowell dulled by City of Lights

Graeme McDowell paid a heavy French Open price after the enjoyment of taking in the sights of Paris.

He walked off the first hole of the stunning National Club course with a double bogey and never really recovered in carding an eventual one-over-par 72.

It left the former US Open champion and current world No 11 trailing seven strokes behind Sweden’s Christian Nilsson, who signed for a six-under-par 65, and with three players, including Italian teen sensation Matteo Manassero, in second place with 66s.

Darren Clarke and Shane Lowry head the Irish contingent after recording one-under-par 70s at the 2018 Ryder Cup host venue.

McDowell is contesting the prestigious French event for a seventh occasion but is making his first appearance since 2009.

And his first round score is the sixth occasion McDowell has failed to break 70.

With girlfriend Christine by his side, McDowell could not resist the lure of the world’s most romantic city and accompanied her sightseeing tour of Paris.

“I’ve been coming here for about six or seven years and it’s the first time I’ve ever been in Paris,” said McDowell.

“We took in the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe and it was great, We also walked up the steps of Sacre Coeur, but from what I have seen I want to come back and get to know the place better.”

However, while McDowell impressed his latest love, the same could not be said for the spectators that set out to follow the Pebble Beach-winning hero.

While McDowell is delighted to share the week with his American girlfriend, he’s also using the €3.15 million event as a warm-up for the British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

Lowry was pleased with a 70 that left him lying in a share of 21st place.

“I didn’t play great but still managed to score nicely which is unusual for me,” he said.

However, Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane, will need low scores today to make the cut after posting rounds of 73 and 75.

At the Greenbrier Classic in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Tiger Woods’ hopes of landing consecutive PGA Tour wins took an early knock after a one-over-par first round left him eight shots behind early clubhouse leader Vijay Singh.

Woods, who won for the third time this season at the AT&T National at Congressional last week, carded four birdies but also three bogeys and a double in his 71.

Meanwhile, Fourteen years old American-Irish whiz kid Hannah O’Sullivan shot a four-over-par 76 in the opening round of the US Women’s Open at the Blackwolf Run course in Kohler, Wisconsin.

Cheyenne Woods, a cousin of Tiger, shot a 75.

Spain’s Beatriz Recari was the early leader at two under along with Ai Miyazato of Japan and American Lexi Thompson.