McDowell rallies at ‘brutal’ tourney
MARANA, Ari z. — Graeme McDowell rarely felt as hopeless in match play as he did Wednesday at Dove Mountain.
Overpowered and outplayed for much of the first round, he was 3 down with three holes to play as he watched the majestic flight of Gary Woodland’s tee shot cover the flag on the 16th hole. McDowell figured it was a matter of time before he climbed into a courtesy car to be driven back to the clubhouse.
In an opening round of comebacks in the Match Play Championship, none was more stunning than McDowell surviving to see another day of this most unpredictable event.
Woodland’s shot took a hard bounce and landed between two corporate suites. Bogey. With a wedge in hand, Woodland pulled it on the wrong side of the 17th green, and McDowell capitalized by making a 12-foot birdie. Woodland blasted out of the left bunker, over the 18th green and into the right bunker to lose a third straight hole. McDowell completed his improbable rally with a 6-foot birdie on the 19th hole to win.
“I’m surprised to be sitting here, having won,” McDowell said. “Yeah, I hit a couple of quality shots down the last couple of holes, but he had mistakes, as well. It’s a brutal format.”
It certainly was brutal for the 32 players headed for the airport. Such is the nature of this World Golf Championship, as cutthroat as it comes.
McDowell was among eight players who trailed with six holes remaining and somehow survived.
Jason Dufner was 3 down with five holes remaining when Scott Stallings made too many mistakes, Dufner made one clutch birdie, and the PGA champion advanced in 19 holes with a simple par.