McDowell: I got lucky

Graeme McDowell came out smiling again from a day of wind, rain and cold that left others either battered or furious when the Open Championship began at Royal Birkdale.

Winner of the Scottish Open last Sunday, the 28-year-old had the luck of the draw to be out late as conditions eased and with a one under par 69 joined American Rocco Mediate and Australian Robert Allenby in the clubhouse lead.

Now McDowell, out in front on his own when he started with a 66 at Hoylake two years ago, hopes to show he can cope with the situation far better than he did then.

One big difference, of course, is that there is no Tiger Woods to “leave us all in the dust”, but the Portrush golfer believes he is far more capable of handling it regardless of the opposition.

“I felt a bit like a rabbit in the headlights then,” he said, recalling his fall from first to 61st.

“I didn’t have a whole lot of belief in myself but I certainly feel a different player.

“I sat having my breakfast today thinking ’do I have to have to go out in this?’ but I got lucky.

“Obviously it’s very important to come down from the elation of Sunday and move on but I had the biggest tournament on the planet to get ready for.”

McDowell, Mediate and Allenby all birdied the two closing holes – two of only four downwind – to break par. And all three did it after 5.30pm to underline the importance of the tee-off times.

Mediate, the 45-year-old who last month took world number one Woods to a play-off at the US Open, is playing his first Open since Muirfield in 2002.

The weather was also horrendous there on one day but he said: “You’ve just got to get it done whether it’s pretty or ugly. I love it here and it’s great to be back.”

Despite four wins on the US Tour, Allenby, home in a sparkling 32, does not have a top-six finish to his name in the majors, but as well as having no Woods to worry about he might not have to concern himself with Phil Mickelson or Ernie Els either come the weekend.

The world number two took a nine over par 79 and Els slumped to an 80.

For the South African, winner in Muirfield in 2002, that was his worst-ever score in the championship. Mickelson has had only one worse – an 85 at Birkdale 10 years ago.

Els, who after a decent enough front nine collapsed to an inward 45, did not speak afterwards, but Mickelson commented: “When you shoot 79 on the first day you’ve got to come back with something pretty cool to get back into it.”

His fellow American Jerry Kelly has no hope of that after an 83 and, with only one tee moved forward a mere 10 yards, he let rip at the Royal and Ancient Club just as he did at the United States Golf Association when a green in the 2004 US Open became unplayable.

On that occasion Kelly, having returned an 81, asked: “When are they going to grow a head?” This time he stated: “It’s the worst set-up since Shinnecock Hills. It seems they are learning from the USGA.”

England’s Simon Dyson, round in 82, said: “I can’t believe they didn’t put the tees forward and I think they’ll come under fire.”

Peter Dawson, chief executive of the R&A, responded that the wind and the rain were worse than had been predicted and added: “We will have to get better stuff from the Met Office than we have at the moment.”

That said, Dawson did not believe that the course was too tough or unfair.

“What gets written on the Claret Jug is how many strokes, not how many under par,” he said

The 499-yard sixth, for example, is listed as a par four, but into the wind Dawson thought the players simply had to treat it as a par five.

The tee position at the 436-yard 11th was the one which was moved but Dawson, also not best pleased with former champion Sandy Lyle quitting along with American Rich Beem at 11 and 12 over respectively, conceded that “in hindsight it would have been nice to have another tee maybe 20 yards in front.”

Worringly for everybody concerned, the current forecast is for things to get worse before they get better – and, if the gusts do indeed reach 45mph on Saturday, play may have to be suspended because the balls simply would not stay still on the greens.

Lee Westwood in his 75 had that happen to him on the sixth hole but seconds later was wearing a big smile because he chipped in.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington was happy too. A 74 with two closing bogeys might not sound great, but he had, of course, been doubtful with a wrist injury before the start and in the conditions it was no mean effort.

Justin Rose, fourth on the links as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998, matched the Irishman’s effort, while Colin Montgomerie went one better.

Even better placed is 53-year-old twice winner Greg Norman, watched by his new wife Chris Evert. In his first Open for three years he came in with a level par 70, as did compatriot Adam Scott after reaching two under with three to play and then bogeying the 16th and 17th.

Sergio Garcia, loser of the play-off to Harrington at Carnoustie a year ago, was an even later starter and was two over after 16.