The Irish Golf Club Gazette: AlstomODF

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7/03/2015

McDowell Misses French Cut

Graeme McDowell admits he has work to do on his game after missing the cut at Le Golf National.

The Northern Irishman's bid for a third successive title in France came to a frustratingly early end, as the former US Open champion's poor form continued.

McDowell was one of the early starters on Friday after thunderstorms had left 42 players unable to complete their opening rounds on day one, making par at the 18th to close and opening 72 and lie within four of the lead.

However, after a short break McDowell was back out on the course which will stage the 2018 Ryder Cup and slumped to a second round of 78, his worst score in 32 rounds at the venue.

The 35-year-old failed to register a single birdie during his second round, posting three bogeys and two double-bogeys, including at the second after sending his shot in to the hazard, to end the week eight over.

"I struggled to get in the fairway mainly and, as firm and as fast as this course is, if you're not hitting the fairway you have a bit of a problem getting close to the flag," McDowell said. "It's just a bad first nine both days.

"I rescued it coming in last night but it was a fast turnaround from a 9pm finish last night to an early start this morning and I just didn't come out of the blocks this morning at all.

"It's very disappointing, this course has been so good to me over the years, just not to be this year. It's a work in progress, I'll keep grinding and it's a big summer ahead."

It leaves McDowell without a top-ten finish since February's Dubai Desert Classic, with the Ryder Cup star in danger of dropping out of the world's top 50 unless he can produces an upturn in results.

"I have a lot of technique in my head to be honest and I have to strip that out," McDowell told Sky Sports 4. "I've got to get back to basics and try to clear the mind.

"I've been working too hard on trying to get the technique fixed and been making it worse. I know it's in there; you take the rough with the smooth and it's been a great three or four years. I will dig this out and I'll be back."

7/01/2015

McDowell Seeks French Treble

Graeme McDowell will begin his quest for a hat-trick of Alstom Open de France titles alongside Ryder Cup team-mate Lee Westwood and rising French star Alexander Levy when the €3million tournament begins on Thursday.

The Northern Irishman, the champion at Le Golf National for the past two years, tees off from the tenth at 13.20 local time, one group behind the widely-tipped Francesco Molinari, two-time winner this season Anirban Lahiri and young Frenchman Gary Stal.

The marquee group in the morning has a Ryder Cup flavour, with Martin Kaymer, who won here in 2009, alongside his 2014 team-mates Victor Dubuisson and Jamie Donaldson at 8.30 from the tenth.

One group ahead of them is Englishman Danny Willett, currently second in The Race to Dubai, Austrian Bernd Wiesberger and France’s Julien Quesne, while the last player to win the event before McDowell, Germany’s Marcel Siem, has Italian Matteo Manassero and Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg for company at 13.50 from the tenth tee.

European Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke begins his campaign with Denmark’s Thorbjørn Olesen and up-and-coming Englishman Eddie Pepperell at 7.50 from the tenth, while behind them is another home favourite in Grégory Havret alongside Scots Stephen Gallacher and Marc Warren.

A total of 29 French players will be attempting to become the first home player since Thomas Levet in 2011 to win the Alstom Open de France, including Raphaël Jacquelin, who begins from the tenth in the company of in-form Englishmen James Morrison and Chris Wood.

6/29/2015

GMAC Defends Alstom Open

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The next venue to host a Ryder Cup on European soil will take centre stage this week, as seven of the stars from the last biennial contest compete in the Alstom Open de France at Le Golf National.

Defending champion Graeme McDowell will be joined by his Gleneagles team-mates Thomas Bjørn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Stephen Gallacher, Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood for the 99th edition of the tournament, which is continental Europe’s oldest national Open.

McDowell is bidding for a hat-trick of victories, having first won the title by four strokes from Richard Sterne in 2013 before successfully defending it last year, when he finished a shot clear of American Kevin Stadler and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee.

The Northern Irishman won all three of his matches at The 2014 Ryder Cup and his partner for two of those, Frenchman Dubuisson, will lead the home hopes over the Albatros course which will host the contest against the United States in 2018.

Dubuisson returns home following a top 20 finish in last week’s BMW International Open in Germany. He will be hoping to become the first Frenchman since Thomas Levet in 2011 to win his home Open.

Kaymer is also a former winner at Le Golf National, having defeated team-mate Westwood in a play-off in 2009, and he will be aiming to bounce back from missing the cut in the US Open and in Munich last week.

In addition to Dubuisson, there is a strong looking home challenge, which includes Gary Stal, already a winner on The 2015 Race to Dubai in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, and Alexander Levy, who won twice in 2014.

Le Golf National, on the outskirts of the French capital Paris, is a European Tour Destination and member venue of The European Tour Properties network

7/06/2014

GMAC Defends French Title

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Graeme McDowell will head into the Open Championship buoyed by his first ever successful title defence following a dramatic final round of the Open de France.

McDowell overturned an eight-shot deficit thanks to a brilliant closing 67 despite the wet and windy conditions at Le Golf National, although he also had plenty of help from the American Kevin Stadler.

Stadler’s four-shot overnight lead disappeared with a front nine of 41, but he battled back well with birdies on the 14th and 16th to pull within one of McDowell, who had moved three ahead with his fifth birdie of the day on the 16th.

With McDowell then dropping his only shot of the day on the 18th after finding heavy rough off the tee, Stadler needed to par the 18th to force a play-off but missed from two feet just as McDowell left the recording area to prepare for extra holes.

Stadler’s closing 76 left him in a tie for second with Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, who dropped five shots in the first four holes but played the remainder in four-under for a 72.

“I’m very surprised,” McDowell said after claiming his 10th European Tour title. “Midway through my second glass of red wine last night, when I was very disappointed with my back-nine performance on Saturday, I really didn’t think I’d be a) standing here with an opportunity to be in a play-off and b) with a trophy in my hands.

“I feel very fortunate. Kevin Stadler is a great, great player. I literally gave him that putt on the last green. I didn’t expect him to miss that. It’s not really the way you like to win. I was ready to go for the playoff, but I’ll take it and run. I really needed this victory. It’s a special one for me. It’s pretty timely. There’s a busy summer ahead and this a really good kick-start to the summer.”

McDowell has deliberately played a lighter schedule this year – even missing the PGA Championship at Wentworth – to leave himself fresher for the second half of the season.

“It’s a good decision now, but I have to say myself and my team were starting to question it,” the former US Open champion added. “But my body has probably never been in as good a shape at this point in the season coming into two major championships, the FedEx Cup play-offs and hopefully the Ryder Cup.

“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].”

McDowell, who held the outright lead after the first round of the Open the last time it was held at Hoylake, in 2006, added: “I was at Hoylake a couple of weeks ago. I think it’s my type of set-up. You really have to find fairways off the tee and there are big flat greens where you can hole some putts. This is a nice confidence booster and I will be back at Hoylake next Sunday ready to go.”

Stadler found himself five clear of the field when his playing partner, Jaidee, got off to a terrible start and the local favourite Victor Riu followed a birdie on the 1st with a double bogey on the 2nd.

But the 34-year-old then missed from 18 inches for par on the 4th and four feet on the 6th, before running up a double-bogey six on the next, where his ball was only found in the deep rough because an on-course television commentator stood on it.

Stadler was allowed a free drop but could only hack the ball a few yards sideways and eventually did well to get up and down from short of the green for a six.

A poor chip from left of the 8th green led to another bogey and two more early in the back nine looked to have ended his chances as McDowell picked up shots on the 13th, 14th and 16th.

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7/05/2014

Irish Duo Left In Smalrus Wake

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Graeme McDowell finished two-under par and signed for a 69 to hold a share fourth place on three-under with Michael Hoey on Friday. The Shandon Park golfer was three strokes better with a round of 66 on a most demanding of courses.

Damian McGrane hold a share of 11th place and jeeps Martin Kaymer company signing for a 69.

"I did a lot of hanging on out there, holed three or four decent putts for par and then had a super finish," said McGrane.

It's a difficult course but I hit a lot of good tee shots as well," added McGrane, who tied third here in 2007 and enjoyed three other top-20 finishes at the French Open.

Gareth Maybin finished Friday with 68 strokes on the card.

Padraig Harrington bogeyed his closing holes and missed the weekend by two shots and notches up his eighth cut in 16 this year after a round of 73.

Peter Lawrie signed for a 77 and missed the cut.

The Dubliner was joined on the early departure by Simon Thornton, who was nine-over after a second round 74, David Higgins +13 after a 76 with Rookie Kevin Phelan + 14 after an 80 on Friday.

Paul McGinley missed the cut but had already withdrawn on Thursday morning with bursitis in his shoulder.

Overnight leaderKevin Stadler, son of Craig "Walrus" Stadler, celebrated Independence Day by claiming a three shot halfway lead in the Alstom Open de France, despite a shaky finish to his second round.

Stadler carded a flawless opening 64 at Le Golf National and did not drop his first shot of the tournament until his 32nd hole at the 2018 Ryder Cup venue.

But after bouncing back in style with birdies on the next two holes, the World Number 62 shanked his approach to the par five ninth - his final hole - to run up a double bogey seven.

"I just tried to get a little too much out of it," admitted Stadler, who had to settle for a round of 68. "I didn't have the best of lies and had to hit the shot perfectly. I got a little too steep on it and it came off the hosel and into the deep stuff.

"It was not exactly how I planned to finish the day but overall it was another good day so it's all good. I putted brilliantly the first couple of days. I got a little sloppy on my final nine today but other than that struck the ball very well as well, had a lot of chances and rolled in a lot of nice putts."

Stadler won his maiden US PGA Tour title in February and was half of the first father-son pairing to play in the same Masters Tournament in April with his father Craig, the 1982 champion.

The 34 year old finished joint eighth at Augusta National but that has been his only top-ten since winning in Phoenix and he added: "It's been a little rotten the last couple of months but it's starting to show some signs of form again and I've hit plenty of good shots the last couple of days.

"Hopefully I can do more of the same at the weekend, the putter keeps co-operating and I am looking forward to the last couple of days."

Stadler's nearest challenger is Parisian Victor Riu, whose only bogey in a round of 67 came on the 18th after finding a greenside bunker, with 2012 winner Marcel Siem two shots further back on five under after a 72.

7/03/2014

GMAC in Stadler Slipstream

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Graeme McDowell was six shots off leader Kevin Stadler after a round of 70 at the Alstom Open de France near Paris.

Stadler said all the right things after carding a flawless 64 to claim the lead after the opening round of the Alstom Open de France at Le Golf National.

Masters champion Bubba Watson created a poor impression of Americans abroad after playing the tournament in 2011, describing the Eiffel Tower as "that big tower", the Louvre as the "building starting with an L", the Arc de Triomphe as "this arch I drove round in a circle" and the Versailles Palace as "the castle we're staying next to" during his brief trip.

But Stadler staged something of a charm offensive after carding seven birdies and no bogeys to lead by one from Germany's Marcel Siem, with Scotland's Stephen Gallacher a shot further back on five under.

Damien McGrane finsihed level opn day one.

Peter Lawrie (+1), Gareth Maybin (+2), David Hoey (+2), Padraig Harrington (+3), Kevin Phelan (+5), Simon Thornton (+6) and David Higgins (+8) were also in action.

"It's one of my best rounds of the year for sure," said Stadler, who won his maiden PGA Tour title in the Phoenix Open in February and was half of the first father-son pairing to play in the same Masters with his father Craig in April.

"To not make a bogey out there is something I didn't think was possible when I first played it. It's instantly one of my favourite courses ever, I thought it was spectacular from hole one to the end. They talk about the last four holes but they are doing a discredit to the previous 14.

"I have always wanted to come over here, the guys in the US tell me it's one of the best events of the year and it has not let me down. It has been fantastic."

Ryder Cup hopeful Gallacher was left to rue a poor finish despite carding an opening 66, the Scot looking set to challenge the course record of 62 when he covered his first 14 holes in seven under par and then hit a superb approach to five feet on the sixth.

However, the world number 37 missed that birdie opportunity and then dropped shots on the seventh and ninth after missing the green with his approach each time.

Gallacher is currently outside the automatic qualifying places for September's contest at Gleneagles, which is just 35 miles from his home in Linlithgow.

But he will not get the chance to impress European captain Paul McGinley in person this week, the Dubliner pulling out of the event with a shoulder injury.

"I missed a putt to go eight under and didn't do too much wrong on the last couple of holes, but that's what this course can do," Gallacher said. "I'll still take two (shots) better than my previous best in this event."

Speaking about Ryder Cup qualification and the run of big-money events coming up, Gallacher added: "It's a massive run. The thing I have to try to do is play my golf and not think about it really.

"I'm trying not to be too outcome-orientated, just think of what I'm doing on the course and hopefully it's good enough."

Siem was in the group ahead of Gallacher and experienced starkly contrasting fortunes on the closing stretch, playing his final four holes in five shots fewer thanks to a hat-trick of birdies from the sixth.

"I always enjoy coming back here, I love the track and had a good start this morning," Siem told Sky Sports. "The putts finally started dropping, last week my putting was horrible, so I am really pleased."

7/02/2014

Deja-vu for GMAC at Alstom

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Graeme McDowell will go in search of a successful title defence for the first time in his illustrious career at this week’s Alstom Open de France, but a world-class field stands between the Irishman and a repeat triumph at Le Golf National.

The World Number 20 cruised to victory by four shots on the outskirts of Paris 12 months ago, but with his fellow Major Champion Martin Kaymer, rising star Victor Dubuisson and the current Race to Dubai leader Thomas Björn all amongst the protagonists, McDowell will be hard pushed to match the feats of Jean-François Remesy, the last player to mount a successful defence of the title in 2004-2005.

McDowell’s last competitive appearance was in the Irish Open, where he narrowly missed out on delivering what would have been an emotional home victory. But a tied sixth finish was McDowell’s best performance in a stroke play event this season, and boosted his hopes of a fourth successive Ryder Cup appearance in September.

Kaymer all but secured his place in Captain Paul McGinley’s team after his stunning US Open triumph, but the German – who took the Open de France title in 2009 after a play-off with Lee Westwood – will be keen to bounce back from a disappointing homecoming in last week’s BMW International Open, where he missed the cut.

Björn, who was recently sidelined for three weeks with neck and shoulder injuries, fared rather better on his return to duty in Germany, recording his sixth top ten finish of a superb season to extend his lead over Kaymer at the top of The Race to Dubai to €62,126.

But with a €3million prize fund available at the 98th edition of the Open de France, which was first played back in 1906, victory for Kaymer would see him usurp the Dane at the top of the standings.

Fabrizio Zanotti will bid to become the first player to win back to back titles this season after his breakthrough victory in the BMW International Open.

Having become the first Paraguayan to win on The European Tour, Zanotti will now hope to join a roll call of winners which includes no fewer than 20 Major Champions.

Welshman Jamie Donaldson, currently in fourth place in The Race to Dubai, also arrives in Versailles in fine fettle after his tied fifth finish behind Zanotti in Cologne, where he missed out on making it a five-way play-off by a single stroke.

The same applies to Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, currently in a rich vein of form after claiming his fifth European Tour title in the recent Nordea Masters.

Other notable names in the field include former winners Thomas Levet and Marcel Siem; European and US PGA Tour champion Kevin Stadler of America; rising English star Matthew Fitzpatrick, who continues his education in the professional ranks; and hot young French prospects Julien Brun and Jérôme Lando Casanova.