GMac sets out plans

Graeme McDowell could not be happier with his start to the season or the new schedule he has mapped out to avoid burnout later in the year.

Win or lose in the third round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Tucson last night, where he was locked in a tight battle with US Ruder Cup star Hunter Mahan, the 34-year old was certain to head into next week’s Honda Classic on a high.

He admits he was “fried” during the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah, where he won just one point out of four, and again last year, when he failed to qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship for the second year in a row.

But by paring down his schedule and taking a longer winter break than normal, he hopes to be buzzing for the majors and the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.

“As I hit my mid30s, I’m trying to try to get my calories expended better than my intake,” McDowell said. “I enjoy a few glasses of red wine, I’m not going to lie. And I think being serious about it, I’m disappointed with my performance in August and September for the last few years.

“I look back to two years ago at Medinah, I was fried at Medinah, and I was fried at the FedEx playoffs. Last year I was fried at the FedEx playoffs, again. I don’t want that to happen this year.

“I’ve made a few decisions, I’ve cut back on a little golf course activity. I’ve tried to up my fitness regime and get leaner and fitter just to try to be ready for August and September this year, really. That’s the big goal of mine.

“Obviously I want to be on the Ryder Cup team and I want to be prepared when that comes around this year.

Having never stood on a tee with a lead over the first two days — 37 holes — McDowell got off to another horrific start for the third day running in his third round clash with Mahan. He bogeyed the first, ramming his putt from the collar of rough behind the pin some eight feet past the hole before missing the return. He then drove into sand at the second but despite recovering with a brilliant third to eight feet, he missed againt to go two down.

Mahan handed him the short third, which he bogeyed after bunkering his tee shot, by dumping his tee shot in the lake and taking five.

He then levelled the match with a tidy chip and putt par at the fifth, where Mahan was in trouble off the tee.

It looked as if he would finally stand a tee with a lead after he hit a six iron to just six inches at the par-three sixth. But Mahan followed him in from nine feet to remain all square.

He had chances to edge ahead at the eighth, ninth and 10th but a missed three putts of around 12 feet each time.

Mahan finally edged ahead again by getting up and down from greenside sand for a winning birdie four at the 11th after McDowell had been forced to lay up after bunkering his drive.

A birdie four at the 13th was only good enough for a half but Mahan opened the door at the 14th, taking six to allow McDowell to square the match again.

The day was marked by an act of sportsmanship by Sergio Garcia, who was just four feet away when he conceded an 18 foot putt to Rickie Fowler for a half on the seventh to make up for taking an age to play the par-three sixth.

The Spaniard’s ball had ended up next to a sprinkler head that was surrounded by bees attracted to the water.

He asked for and got a free drop but took so long over it that he said “good-good” in offering Fowler a half at the next.