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.