Confident G-Mac banks on brains beating brawn

Graeme McDowell is hoping that tactics and putting will count for more than length when he faces long-hitting pal Gary Woodland in the first round of the WCG-Accenture Match Play in Tucson today.

The world No 17 finds himself landed in the Group of Death — with players like Zach Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and Keegan Bradley.

But he knows his course management and his touch on the greens will be key weapons against a Lake Nona neighbour who can bomb the ball more than 50 yards past him.

“There are no easy matches and you have just got to get your head down and try to get out of Wednesday,” said McDowell (pictured), who lost in the first round four times in five years before getting a run to the quarter-finals last season.

The course at Dove Mountain measures 7,791 yards but McDowell reckons length is not the biggest factor.

“Gary hits it 50 yards past me, as far past me as he wants. Okay, length is important in some areas on this golf course, but you also have to place it well so I wouldn’t call this necessarily a bomber’s track.

“Look at the past winners — Hunter Mahan, Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald. It hasn’t historically been the bombers who have taken care of business around here. You can really destroy a guy by putting really well.”

McDowell is feeling good about his game after knocking the rust off with a seventh-place finish in his first start of the season in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am two week ago.

He played a round with Woodland at Lake Nona last weekend and has high hopes for the season. “I managed to turn a bad week into a good week,” he said. “So it was a great place to start the season.”