McDowell Shares French Open Lead

Getty Images

Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland and Richard Sterne of South Africa share a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the French Open.

McDowell shot a 1-under 70 while Sterne had a 71 on the tough Albatross course of Le Golf National, leaving both at 5-under 208.

Bernd Wiesberger of Austria (68), David Howell of England (69) and Richard Green of Australia (70) were at 209. Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark and Simon Dyson of England were at 210.

Francesco Molinari of Italy had the day's best round, a 67 that left him four shots back. Second-round leader Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay fell to 214 after a 78.

Thomas Bjorn of Denmark held a two-shot lead after a birdie on No. 8 -- where he nearly had a hole-in-one but the ball lipped out -- before dropping four shots in the last four holes.

Martin Kaymer of Germany, Ian Poulter of England and Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain are part of a five-way tie at 213. Kaymer, the 2010 PGA Championship winner, shot a 69 and is hoping for a top 10 finish despite feeling "very sick."

"The first day I was OK, but yesterday I felt terrible. And today I just feel very weak," Kaymer said. "I don't hit the ball as far as usual."

Matt Kuchar of the United States fell from contention with a 73 that left him 10 strokes off the pace.

"Below average golf for me," Kuchar said. "I haven't been as sharp as I had hoped to be, but I still enjoyed my stay here."

Ranked fifth in the world, Kuchar is making his French Open debut. He brought his family with him to France and will take a short vacation next week in the south of the country.

He said his goal Sunday is to "just have a good round, try to get on some better form. Then, hopefully carry some momentum into the British Open."

   

McDowell Sees No Reason to Panic

Getty Images

Graeme McDowell will avoid reaching for the panic button when he competes in this week's Alstom Open de France.

McDowell did win the Volvo World Match Play crown in Bulgari, but his missed cut in last week's Irish Open was the fifth in his last six strokeplay events and left him spending the weekend at Carton House on the practice range, alongside compatriot Rory McIlroy, looking for some form ahead of the upcoming Open Championship.

"Obviously that Volvo World Match Play offsets some really average golf for me I suppose," McDowell admitted in his pre-tournament press conference at Le Golf National. "I feel like I went into the US Open a bit under golfed to be honest with you; (with) a few missed cuts here and there and playing a slightly reduced schedule this year."

He added: "I really just haven't had enough course time the last couple of months and that was highlighted at the US Open - he shot rounds of 76 and 77 at Merion - and it was highlighted a little bit last week in Ireland, missing by one there.

"I thought I had snuck in for the weekend and I could have done with a couple of extra rounds of golf under my belt, but used the weekend constructively, hit a lot of balls.

"I feel like, thankfully, I've got a couple of victories under the belt this year to offset maybe the panic button being hit. It is a good thing to be coming into this run of golf fresh I suppose, I've got a lot of golf coming up here the next few months.

"The game's not in terrible shape to be honest with you. It's been a fine line here and there. The motivation's there and I'm feeling hungry and ready to go this summer.

"I've worked very hard the last 10 days or so and I've probably hit as many balls in the last 10 days as I have in a couple of months really. I could do with a weekend here where I compete and play four rounds, get the old juices flowing."

McDowell is one of three players in the world's top 10 competing in Paris, the world number nine being joined by eighth ranked Luke Donald and number five Matt Kuchar.

Related articles

• Alstom Open de France Betting Preview
• European Tour: Alstom Open de France - Preview
• Brian O'Driscoll dumped for Lions third Test decider against Wallabies
• Brian O'Driscoll 'totally gutted' with British & Irish Lions axe
• FindaHomeLoan.sg Develops First Ever Singapore "What-If" Home Loan Calculator That Adjusts To Fluctuating Interest Rates
• Brian O'Driscoll dropped as captain for Lions decider

Higgins Fifteen Ends Open Quest

Getty Images

After earning a spot in a 3-for-2 playoff at the North Berwick qualifier for this month's Open Championship, David Higgins suffered a two-stroke penalty on the first hole – for carrying 15 clubs in his bag – that ended his quest.

R&A officials relayed the news via its official Twitter account for the British Open, @The_Open: "Update on the play-off at North Berwick, David Higgins discovered he had 15 clubs in his bag & was penalised two shots thereby missing out."

Higgins, an Irishman on the European Tour, missed the cut at the Irish Open and finished T-29 the previous week at the BMW International Open.

Apparently Higgins' caddie placed his bag in his car after the round, and stored an extra fairway wood in it, Irish Golf Desk reported; when Higgins made it into the playoff, the club was not removed when the bag was taken back out.

Related articles

• Floren highlights British Open local qualifiers
• Magnificent Seven Ride into Carton
• Wade qualifies for British Open golf
• Danny Wardrop set to battle for a Muirfield spot
• Sample Album - Macdonald Marine Hotel & Spa, North Berwick, Scotland
• Is Twitter Testing a New Look for Threaded Conversations?

Irish Open Champ Backs McIlroy

Paul Casey insists Rory McIlroy is not using "inferior" equipment since his controversial multi-million pound switch to Nike and has backed the world number two to get back to winning ways soon.

McIlroy missed his fourth cut of the season after rounds of 74 and 72 in the Irish Open last week, admitting a new driver was still not 100 per cent right and that he was unsure of whether he would miss fairways left or right with the club.

Casey, who also uses Nike equipment, said after his Irish Open victory on Sunday: "Wow. I must admit, I've not had a Nike question in a while. Whatever I say could be quite delicate. I have the fullest confidence in Rory and I think I would agree with what I've been reading, which is that Rory is kind of a streaky player, but I have 100 per cent confidence in Rory being back in the winner's circle very, very soon."

He added: "I talk to Rory on the range but I don't know what he's working on or what he's been struggling with equipment-wise. We have so many different specs. He's using a different golf ball to me, a different shaft, a different head. It's so many variables.

"But it really frustrates me when I read negative press about Nike and their equipment. They are a legitimate golf brand, legitimate golf company, and people don't necessarily see what I see behind the scenes with the R&D (research and development) and the personnel that are making fantastic golf products.

"It's right up there; I would put three or four other manufacturers up there in the same ballpark. It is not inferior (equipment) in any way, and this is just something that he (McIlroy) is just trying to get right. I have confidence that he will.

"Last week for me the putting clicked. I actually switched putters and put a new putter in. It's the same Nike putter, looks the same but has dots on top to line the ball up; that was the only difference."

Casey was ranked as high as third in the world in 2009 before suffering from numerous injury problems which contributed to a loss in form, meaning his win on Sunday lifted him from 169th in the world to 102nd.

The former Ryder Cup star is still troubled by a toe problem and revealed he may need surgery this winter, although the chances of another broken collarbone from snowboarding appear to be over.

"My toe is actually very sore," he said. "I've got no cartilage in the right big toe joint. At some point I'll probably have an injection in it to relieve that pain and probably at the end of the year I might have it cut open and cleaned out, which might mean some time off. But I'm manning up and I'm dealing with the pain! As for snowboarding, I just haven't been back. I haven't really given it up. But I believe it's now in my Nike contract!"

Related articles

• Rory Admits Irish Open Pressure
• Watch a Robot Trash Talk Golfer Rory McIlroy While Hitting Balls at Washing Machines
• Rory McIlroy and his birdie hit a rough patch
• Major Irish Exit at Carton House
• Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki retreat to Monaco after double disappointment
• Rory McIlroy Vs Golf Hitting Machine

Casey Irish Eagle Ends Title Drought

Getty Images

Paul Casey was delighted to end a victory drought of more than two years in the Irish Open at Carton House.

Casey had not won since the Volvo Golf Champions in January 2011, going through injury problems and a slump in form that dropped him to 169th in the world going into this week's event.

But, motivated by playing in front of a crowd he loves to entertain, the former world No 3 held off the combined challenge of Robert Rock and Joost Luiten, capping the tournament in style when he canned a lengthy eagle putt at the last to win by three strokes.

"I love playing in Ireland, I always have, and the Irish Open has great history," Casey said. "The trophy I am holding right here, just looking at Seve's name on there, couple of times actually, right next to my thumb and Christy O'Connor as well.

"Playing in Ireland is an absolute dream. The fans that have turned out this week, a difficult week as we've had some interesting weather and other sporting events around the world, they have turned out as they always do and I love playing in front of Irish crowds - I'm looking forward to coming back.

"(This victory) means I can plan my year a little bit better. It's been very much up in the air what I have been getting in, not knowing what I'm going to be playing in, even at the end of the year.

"I'll be getting into the HSBC, I'll be in Dubai, the BMW and other tournaments at the end of the year so this is fantastic. I can kind of relax a little bit more, still focus on the game, put the pedal down and try to collect a few more trophies.

"It's incredibly sweet. It's been a while and when that putt went in half of it was relief and half of it was satisfaction. What a grandstand finish - winning an Irish open is an absolute dream.

"I was feeling wet when it rained. It was a shaky start, I didn't hit the ball particularly close going out but when the putts did start to go in I got on a bit of a roll."

Related articles

• Casey storms to Irish Open title
• Luiten Leads at Carton House
• Joost Luiten leads Irish Open, eyes second victory of the month
• Magnificent Seven Ride into Carton
• Robert Rocks Again at Irish Open
• Casey rallies for Irish Open title