Graeme McDowell Qualifies For Open At Hometown Royal Portrush

After a good showing at the RBC Canadian Open, McDowell has qualified for the tournament in his hometown.

Graeme McDowell Qualifies For Open At Hometown Royal Portrush

After a good showing at the RBC Canadian Open, McDowell has qualified for the tournament in his hometown.

Graeme McDowell Qualifies For Open At Hometown Royal Portrush

Royal Portrush native Graeme McDowell sealed his participation in the 2019 Open Championship this week after securing one of the three qualifying spots on offer at the RBC Canadian Open.

The Northern Irishman did so in style too as he holed a 30-foot par putt on the 72nd hole to secure a tied 8th finish on 10-under.

Speaking of the putt below he said; “The putt was not makeable, no. The putt had 12 feet of break on it. It was a ridiculously tough putt to make. Just fancied it, I saw it, liked the way it looked, and when I saw it go in it was a huge relief.”

McDowell had clearly targeted qualification for the 2019 Open because of how well he knows Royal Portrush, and he had come close on several occasions earlier in the year. He flirted with qualification back at the Arnold Palmer Invitational before a final-round 78 derailed his chances, and he also had a victory in the Dominican Republic earlier this year too, however neither secured it outright.

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"I think I had a reasonable belief in myself that I was going to be able to take care of it one of these weeks. Obviously as the pressure started to build it was going to be more difficult as it went along," McDowell said. "Obviously very proud to have got one of the Open Championship spots and get that little monkey off my back and let me go and play some golf the next few weeks."

Only one of the other qualification spots was filled due to USGA rules dictating the player must come in the top-10 to qualify. Because of this, Canadian Adam Hadwin was the other golfer to secure qualification to the last major tournament of 2019.

Indeed it was a good week for another Northern Irishman too as Rory McIlroy wrapped up the tournament with a scintillating final-round 61 that gave him a seven-shot victory.

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Sam Tremlett
Senior Staff Writer

A golfer for most of his life, Sam is a Senior Staff Writer for Golf Monthly. 

Working with golf gear and equipment over the last six years, Sam has quickly built outstanding knowledge and expertise on golf products ranging from drivers, to balls, to shoes. 

He combines this knowledge with a passion for helping golfers get the best gear for them, and as such Sam manages a team of writers that look to deliver the most accurate and informative reviews and buying advice. This is so the reader can find exactly what they are looking for.


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Unfortunately, Sam is not a member of any club at the moment but regularly gets out on the golf course to keep up the facade of having a handicap of five. 


Sam's What's In The Bag: 

Driver: Titleist TS3 (9 degrees) 

Fairway Wood: Callaway Paradym (15 degrees), Nike Covert Tour 2.0 (19 degrees) 

Irons (4-PW): Titleist AP2 

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 54˚, 58˚ 

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 

Ball: Srixon Z-Star Diamond

Shoes: G/FORE Gallivanter/Nike Air Zoom Infinity NEXT%/Cuater The Ringer/adidas Tour 360 22