Graeme McDowell still in treble hunt in Paris

Graeme McDowell went to sleep last night facing a 40-foot last hole birdie putt early this morning in the storm-interrupted French Open in Versailles.

McDowell’s quest to join the exclusive club of ‘Triple Winning Tour Champions’ looked shaky early on, when he was two over par after nine holes on the Le National course where he has reigned supreme the past two years.

There had been a two-and-a-half hour storm warning delay just prior to 9am local time which meant McDowell, who teed off in the second half of the draw, commenced his round mid-afternoon before a second storm warning at 9pm local time that forced officials to call a halt to play for the day.

McDowell was one over par at the time having birdied the 15th and 17th holes and was standing over his birdie putt on 18 when the warning siren sounded.

He trails five shots behind Germany’s Max Kieffer who had moved to four under par with still four holes to play.

“I hung in well today even though I made the turn at two over par as I hit a lot of good shots,” said McDowell.

“But I just didn’t clean-up well on the greens but being out early in the morning they should be perfect.

“So that was just good ‘hang’ today and I am really happy.”

Only five players have won the same event three times in a row including Tiger Woods who’s actually achieved the feat three times in European Tour counting events.

Fellow Irishman Michael Hoey moved to two-under-par through nine holes but then doubled the 15th and bogeyed 16 to finish one over.

The European Ryder Cup stars Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke failed to muster one birdie between them in recording four over par 75s.

Clarke had spent three days in the very hot conditions working on his game while McGinley has played just nine holes, and that was last week with his son, since missing the cut in the Irish Open.

“Not having played that much clearly showed today,” McGinley said.