Graeme McDowell his third shot at the 15th hole during the first round of the 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at the Bay Hill Lodge and Country Club on Thursday in Orlando, Florida.
McDowell’s 80 on a windblown day at Bay Hill, however, does mark just the third time in his career he’s posted a score in the 80s on the PGA TOUR. The other came in the third round of the 2008 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
Thursday’s round also leaves the highest ranked player in the field near the bottom of the leaderboard.
McDowell managed to hit 10 fairways and 10 greens in regulation at Bay Hill, but he also took 34 putts and made just one birdie — compared to six bogeys and one triple bogey. The latter came on the par-5 sixth, where he hit his tee shot and then his approach shot into the water.
"After I made triple on No. 6, I was well aware that I had to finish with a few pars to break the old 80 barrier, but managed to three-whack eight just compound the error," McDowell told CBSSports.com. "It was one of those things. It was a battle out there and I tried to hang tough, but that triple bogey just kind of ended my week, probably."
The reigning U.S. Open champion also missed six putts from inside 10 feet.
"I got it all out of my system today," McDowell continued. "There’s not really an explanation. My long game’s kind of been a little off lately.
"Disappointing, really, not exactly what I had in mind and 80 is pretty awesome stuff. You know, this is a tough golf course and you really wanna be on top of your game out there and I was on top of nothing today. Didn’t drive it particularly well, my iron play was pretty weak and I putted awful."
If McDowell does miss the cut here, which seems likely, he’ll next head to Augusta National on Tuesday with Ian Poulter, Peter Hanson and Henrik Stenson
Perhaps the only positive thing to come out of Graeme McDowell’s round was the fact that it wasn’t his career worst, as that was an 81 in the final round of the 2005 U.S. Open at Shinnecock.
McDowell’s 80 on a windblown day at Bay Hill, however, does mark just the third time in his career he’s posted a score in the 80s on the PGA TOUR. The other came in the third round of the 2008 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
Thursday’s round also leaves the highest ranked player in the field near the bottom of the leaderboard.
McDowell managed to hit 10 fairways and 10 greens in regulation at Bay Hill, but he also took 34 putts and made just one birdie — compared to six bogeys and one triple bogey. The latter came on the par-5 sixth, where he hit his tee shot and then his approach shot into the water.
"After I made triple on No. 6, I was well aware that I had to finish with a few pars to break the old 80 barrier, but managed to three-whack eight just compound the error," McDowell told CBSSports.com. "It was one of those things. It was a battle out there and I tried to hang tough, but that triple bogey just kind of ended my week, probably."
The reigning U.S. Open champion also missed six putts from inside 10 feet.
"I got it all out of my system today," McDowell continued. "There’s not really an explanation. My long game’s kind of been a little off lately.
"Disappointing, really, not exactly what I had in mind and 80 is pretty awesome stuff. You know, this is a tough golf course and you really wanna be on top of your game out there and I was on top of nothing today. Didn’t drive it particularly well, my iron play was pretty weak and I putted awful."
If McDowell does miss the cut here, which seems likely, he’ll next head to Augusta National on Tuesday with Ian Poulter, Peter Hanson and Henrik Stenson
