Graeme McDowell Hangs On At WGC-HSBC Champions

Jul 14, 2014; Wirral, GBR; Graeme McDowell play his tee shot on the17th tee during a practice round at the 143rd Open Championship at The Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports

You could tell it was cold in Shanghai on Saturday during the third round of the WGC-HSBC Champions golf tournament when second-round leader, Graeme McDowell was using gloves to keep his hands warm between shots. I’ve seen the popular Northern Irishman in shirt-sleeves at events where everyone else were in jackets, but it was cold at the Sheshan International Golf Course on Saturday, and scores in the third round told the story.

Graeme McDowell did some bending on Saturday, but was able to hang to a one-shot lead going into the finale’ on Sunday. The 2010 US Open champ carded a one under par 71 in a difficult round where almost everyone struggled to maintain level par.

More from Pro Golf Now

McDowell’s closest competitor, and playing partner for Sunday is a 33 year-old unknown from Japan, but a few former major champions are well within striking distance who will force him to earn this title on Sunday.

"“I played reasonably solid today,” said McDowell, after carding three birdies and two bogeys. “I thought conditions were a little bit more difficult, colder, obviously a little bit of overnight rain made the golf course play a little bit longer."

When playing conditions get bad, you can always depend on a former US Open Champ to step up, and that’s exactly what Martin Kaymer did on Moving Day in China. Kaymer put up the best score of the day when he birdied three of the last five holes, including the 18th to put himself in contention.

Kaymer is two back, and will play in the second group with two-time Masters champ, Bubba Watson on Sunday. Bubba got in the clubhouse with a three under par 69 after an interesting back nine.

Making three birdies on the front nine, and hitting the Shot of the Day at the par five eight, Bubba made just about every number that can be made in golf down the stretch.

The double bogey at 10, and the bogey four at 12 put Bubba in the hole for the day, but four birdies in the last five holes, including one at 18, got him back in this tournament with a chance to win. Of course, he made bogey at 17.

"“A couple three-putts today and a double bogey. That’s sad,” Watson said. “But the birdies down the stretch really helped out.”"

At the eight, Bubba hit a long iron over a creek that nearly went in for an Albatross. He missed the three-foot putt for eagle, and had to settle for birdie. But hey, it was typical “Bubba Golf”, and the local fans loved it.

The mystery man on the leaderboard is Hirioshi Iwata. Graeme McDowell will be playing with the 33 year-old from Miyagi, Japan on Sunday, and admits that he didn’t even know who he was. He will get an “up close” view in the final round.

"McDowell admitted he had never heard of nearest challenger Iwata before this week, but the World Number 127 revealed he is quite well known in his native Japan."

Iwata carded a four under par 68 on Saturday, and made some big birdies down the stretch to get in the final pairing with McDowell on Sunday. He is ranked 127th in the world, and is known for his foul temper in Japan.

"Iwata was a gate-crasher on a leaderboard top-heavy with major champions. McDowell had never heard of him until this week, and only saw him swing the club once in the group ahead. He referred to him as one of the “great young players” from Japan, unaware that he was 33 and in his 10th full season on the Japan Golf Tour.He can’t be faulted for that. Iwata has one career victory — the Fujisankei Classic — and that was only two months ago."

At eight under par, and only three back, Rickie Fowler has played well in his first outing since the Ryder Cup. He is tied for fifth place with South African, Tim Clark, and both carded 69’s on Saturday. Both have a good chance to win this World Class event.

Four back with an outside chance to win it all on Sunday, are last year’s runner-up, Ian Poulter, and young Danish player, Thorbjorn Olesen. Poulter had a tough day on Saturday, managing only three birdies on the day, getting in the clubhouse with a round of level par.

Olesen made four birdies on the back nine to get one up on Poulter, but made bogey at 17 to fall back in a tie with the elder, Ryder Cup star.

Source: PGATour.com, EuropeanTour.com

Home/Golf News