Graeme McDowell’s pin-seeking approach wins OHL Classic playoff

Graeme McDowell is good pals with Rory McIlroy, but the Ulsterman really could learn something from his younger colleague about not putting us through the horrors of nerve shredding play-offs in Mexico.

It was the Northern Irishman’s first PGA Tour victory since April 2013 and his first overall win since the French Open in July 2014.

McDowell bogeyed the 16th to drop down to 18 under par, while Knox could have snatched the title outright with a par at the last, only to close with a bogey of his own and drop down to 18 under as well. The subsequent putt gave him a victory over Russell Knox and Jason Bohn, his first PGA Tour win in almost three years and a much-needed highlight to end what has been an otherwise disastrous year inside the ropes.

Wilkinson closed with a two-under 69 at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba to improve 18 places to 34th on the leaderboard on seven-under. Am I not good enough?’ You ask yourself all the questions, we’ve all been there.

Fathauer carded a bogey-free, five-under 66 to move into the lead.

“This is the game of golf, it is very hard, and I have been dreaming of this day and I said to myself I was going to appreciate it when it came”.

For McDowell, it was a welcome return to form after the Ryder Cup star had fallen to 85th in the world rankings after only one top-10 finish in 25 events this year.

McDowell, who started on the back nine, hit three straight birdies before making the turn.

The 30-year-old from Scotland ran off four straight birdies starting at No. 3, and then stuffed his approach just short of the pin on the par-3 eighth and went out in 31. “But the last three or four months I got back to where I want to be”.

He took another double bogey on the par-4 opening hole, and now has played it at 5 over for the week.

“I’ve got to get past that first hole, which is kind of killing me”, McDowell said.

Knox was on the 13th hole.

“I’ve just been out here 21 or 22 years and my kids are growing up, ” Leonard said.