McDowell airs European Tour concerns

Deep thinkers are in short supply among the golfing elite but Graeme McDowell could never be accused of failing to think outside the box when it comes to the fate of the beleaguered European Tour.

With the Irish Open now in its fourth year without a title sponsor and the European Tour’s elite fleeing like lemmings to the PGA Tour — only two members of the 2012 Ryder Cup team have resisted the temptation to join the US circuit — the 33-year old Portrush man knows how crucial it is for the top players to do their bit for the cause.

Playing in the Irish Open is the least players like McDowell can do and he’s more than happy to try and tick his national title off his “bucket list” of ambitions.