It is a golfer’s worst nightmare, arriving at an airport luggage carousel and not being reunited with your golf clubs.
Graeme McDowell / Image from Getty Images
That was the scenario facing Graeme McDowell as he arrived at Manchester Airport very early Monday morning ahead of teeing-up Tuesday in a 36-hole Open Championship qualifier at the Old St. Annes course just to the south of Blackpool in England.
McDowell was headed to Manchester Airport after his disappointing showing in Sunday’s concluding French Open in Versailles where he finished T37th having been effectively out of contention late on Friday in taking a closing hole ‘snowman’ – quadruple bogey ‘8’.
He and his caddy boarded their flight from Charles De Gaulle to Manchester only for his ‘tools of trade’ to be missing which led McDowell to tweet at 5.42am Monday from nearby Knutsford:
“Need assistance from @airfrance. Flew into Manchester last night from CDG and my golf clubs are untraceable. I have a 36 qualifier tomorrow for @TheOpen and really need my bag. Thanks in advance. #help
We’re not sure what McDowell intends to do but one thing is certain, it has seriously messed-up his practice plans ahead of Tuesday’s qualifier where the leading three players will earn a 147th Open Championship tee time.
Old St. Annes is one of four venues in Britain to be hosting Final Qualifying and if McDowell should be unsuccessfull he will have another shot at both this week’s Irish Open and the following week’s Scottish Open, where three spots are available for non-exempt players at each tournament.
McDowell is among two Major winners teeing-up Tuesday with double US Open winner, Retief Goosen of South Africa competing at the Princes Club in Kent.
McDowell will be joined by 12 other Irish players who have entered Final Qualifying and they include:
Michael Hoey
Brendan McCarroll
Robin Dawson (am)
Peter Williamson
Eoin Leonard
Graeme McDowell
Neil O’Briain
James Sugrue
Shane Franklin
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