McDowell trying to avoid thinking about hometown Open ahead of Lahinch return

Graeme McDowell will be trying to avoid thinking about The Open Championship in his hometown of Portrush in two weeks as he bids to start his links golf season on a high at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open on Thursday.

McDowell, who turns 40 on July 30, has returned to Lahinch where he won the South Of Ireland Championship as an amateur in 2000, a few weeks before travelling home to Royal Portrush to add the Irish Close Championship to his trophy haul that summer.