G-Mac’s French dressing

Graeme McDowell achieved a career first and heads into next week’s British Open in the best possible frame of mind after virtually being handed a successful defence of his French Open title in Versailles.

McDowell was all set to prepare for a play-off with Kevin Stadler, who had led for three days, but the American missed a short putt at the final green.

McDowell came from eight shots behind, for the most part in miserable wet and windy conditions, to bogey the last in final round 67 for a five-under par total.

With his father, Kenny, beside him, McDowell was watching anxiously on television as Stadler needed a par at the last to send the event into extra time. When Stadler found the 18th green in regulation and putted up to just three feet McDowell left for the practice putting green.

However, word soon came Stadler had missed his par putt to shoot a five over par 76 and gift McDowell a repeat French Open title victory.

“It’s not really the way you want to win but we’ll take it.

“I am very surprised, I didn’t think I would first be in a play-off and second be standing here now again holding the trophy.

“I feel very fortunate as Kevin Stadler is a great, great player. ”

“I really needed this victory and it’s pretty special for me and very timely as I have a busy summer ahead, so this is real big kick-start to my summer.”

“I’m very proud to defend my first title ever and this is the boost I needed on many fronts, especially the Ryder Cup (the win takes him 10th on the European points list).”

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley wasted little time sending the 2010 winning hero a congratulatory text.

G-Mac set up victory with five birdies starting at the second and then at the ninth for a second day running. McDowell burst clear of the field with birdies at 13, 14 and a superb 20-footer at the par three 16th where he had also holed out for a two on day one.

The victory also earned him a cool €500,000 and brought his European Tour earnings break through the €17m barrier.

McDowell is returning home to Orlando this week to spend time with his pregnant wife Kristin and will arrive at Royal Liverpool next Monday to begin preparations for his 11th straight British Open appearance. And part of that preparation, on the course where he finished well down the field in 2006, will entail playing a practice round with 22-year-old Greystone’s amateur Paul Dunne, who won through to this year’s 143rd Open a week ago by finishing top in a qualifier at Woburn.

There was double Irish delight when Michael Hoey secured a Royal Liverpool tee time after shooting a 71 to finish seventh at one under par to secure the second of three spots into golf’s oldest Major.

It will be only Hoey’s second British Open appearance.

“I was trying not to think about the Open spot too much today, one shot at a time, and trying to hit good swings, but it’s a major.

“I’ve played in The Open two years ago and want to do better than I did at Lytham. It’s a great course, Hoylake. I played the British Amateur there. Mikko [Illonen and reigning Irish Open winner] beat me in the quarter-final, so I’m looking forward to going back and seeing it again.”

Hoey went into the final French day playing alongside McDowell also at one under par and eight from the front. The reigning Russian Open title-holder birdied his second and third holes but dropped shots at four, eight and the 10th hole before regrouping with 15th and 16th hole birdies.

However he came unstuck at the last yet again, putting a fourth ball into the water in three rounds to join McDowell walking off with a bogey.

And before leaving Hoey paid tribute to McDowell.

“It was great to see him win as he’s just mentally very, very good, very solid on the greens,” said Hoey.

“He hits the right shot at the right time and fortunately I was able to do that, as well, down the stretch. He’s a great competitor, a warrior, really.”