Graeme McDowell warmed up for next week’s LIV Golf event with a fifteenth place finish in the Asian Tour’s International Series England in Slaley Hall Golf Club.
McDowell carded a one-over 72 after dropping three shots in his final six holes for a three-under total, nine shots adrift of eventual winner Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe.
The popular Zimbabwean recovered from an early double-bogey to post five unanswered birdies on his way to a 66 which gave him a one shot win over Australia’s Travis Smyth.
For McDowell, the signs are good heading into next week at the Centurion. After a bogey on the second saw him turn in 36, G Mac roared to life with a hat trick of birdies to start his back nine before his unfortunate finish.
While a first win in two years continues to elude him, the victory was fitting for Vincent who certainly came to the party this week even if his clubs didn’t.
In a thrilling back nine birdie battle with Smyth, Vincent’s unfamiliar clubs didn’t desert him as he held on for the win with a seven-foot par to clinch it.
“It’s amazing,” said 30-year-old Vincent, reacting to his maiden Asian Tour triumph. “This is the tour I started on, so obviously it’s nice to get the first win out here. It has felt like a long time but my game is trending in a good direction.”
It’s a second win in as many weeks for Vincent who also captured the Mizuno Open in Japan last Sunday.
“The front nine was not giving up many shots, so anything around even par and you’ve got a fighting chance going into the back nine. That’s kind of where I left myself, which was great.
“Then, as you saw, lots of birdies were made coming in and it was very exciting and so I just had to be very patient and present and keep hitting the shots.”
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