raeme McDowell’s win at the Saudi International left him inside the world’s top 50 and earned him an invite to the 2020 Masters, which will now take place in November. Picture by GETTY IMAGES
GRAEME McDowell will get to play in the 2020 Masters – if the coronavirus pandemic relents enough for Augusta National Golf Club’s plans for the new November date to go ahead.
The 2010 US Open champion was sweating on his invite from Augusta National for the 2020 Masters throughout March – and then came the body blow that the April event had been called off for the first time since 1945 as COVID-19 swept around the world.
And with the prospect of another trip down Magnolia Lane, the suspension of European Tour and PGA Tour events in the second week of March left McDowell in limbo.
The Portrush golfer, who holed the winning putt in the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, reached the March 30 deadline with no sign of the treasured invite in the post.
But having announced the new date for an autumn Masters on Monday, the powers that be at Augusta National have confirmed that any player who met the qualifying criteria for the original date, would be invited to play in November.
McDowell, who dropped out of the world’s top 200 at one point in the lowest point of his professional career that has seen him claim 16 victories around the world, was mightily relieved.
With the Open at Royal St George’s postponed until 2021, McDowell’s other main mission for 2020 was to force his way into Padraig Harrington’s team for the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, in September.
With the USPGA provisionally moved to early August under the reorganisation of the golf schedule, McDowell is guaranteed to play in all three Majors this year – providing the COVID-19 pandemic relents enough for them to be played.
The USPGA is open to the world’s top 100, which McDowell will remain inside comfortably over the next four months.
And he is in the field for the US Open at Winged Foot – which has now been moved to the week before the Ryder Cup – as this is the last of his 10-year exemption, following his win at Pebble Beach, in 2010.
McDowell’s best finish at Augusta was tied for 12th in 2012 while his best USPGA result was tied 10th at Hazeltine, when Y E Yang beat Tiger Woods to become the first Asian to win a Major.
McDowell has won six national championships including the US Open – he took the Italian Open in 2004, followed by the Scottish title in 2008 and Welsh Open – also at Celtic Manor two years later.
His historic win at Pebble Beach two weeks later earned him more than $10million on-and-off the course.
McDowell’s second win on US soil came in the 2013 RBC Heritage. Picture by PGA TOUR
McDowell focusing on Ryder Cup
McDOWELL – whose first European Tour win came in just his fourth start in the 2002 Scandinavian Masters – won the French Open back-to-back in 2013 and 2014.
The 40-year-old’s second of his four wins on the PGA Tour came in the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, in 2013. He claimed the OHL Mayakoba Classic in Mexico two years later.
Victory in the Dominican Republic – at the 2018 Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship – began the climb back from the lowpoint of the University of Alabama graduate’s career.
All four his victories on the PGA Tour have come on coastal courses.
GMac will now be focusing on the PGA Tour schedule when it resumes with the aim of earning as much money on the FedEx Cup rankings – and as many Official Golf World Ranking (OWGR) points as possible – to push his case for selection for the European Ryder Cup team.
Having played on three winning teams in a row in 2010, 2012 and 2014 – he made his debut in the 2008 defeat at Valhalla – McDowell would love to force his way back into Irish captain Harrington’s team for Wisconsin – although he did miss the cut there in the 2010 USPGA which was won by Martin Kaymer.
McDowell was selected as one of Thomas Bjorn’s vice-captains at Le Paris Golf National – scene of his two French Open victories – but is desperate for at least one more Ryder Cup hurrah.
As far back as last summer’s Scottish Open, McDowell said: “I am definitely going to be part of the team one way or another and for the next 15-months or so, it is going to be high-up in my set of goals in getting myself on Padraig’s team.
“He has already alluded to the fact I will be there in one shape or form.
“I enjoyed the vice-captaincy role last year but there’s nothing like playing in a European Team.
“Winning here this week would firstly be great form to take into next week (the 2019 Open at Royal Portrush), and secondly putting me back into the frame of being one of the top European players.”
Victory at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club – another seaside course which required mastery of the wind and some undulating greens – just like at Augusta – proved GMac was back and not one to be ruled out for Whistling Straits, which is set on the shores of Lake Michigan.
•The Wisconsin course, which hosted the USPGA Championship in 2004 and 2010 is littered with many sandy waste areas if you stray too far from the fairway.
Dustin Johnson was given a two-shot penalty 10 years ago after grounding his club in the sand in an area on the final hole, which was treated as a bunker.
McDowell has played most of his best golf by water and wants to play in the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on the shores of Lake Michigan. Picture by GETTY IMAGES
