Graeme McDowell and his Ryder Cup teammates gather for a showdown at Saab Wales Open on European Tour
Celtic Manor Resort will be hosting this week’s Saab Wales Open on the European Tour and four of the Ryder Cup teammates will be returning to the serene resort to contend for the top slot.
Northern Irishman and defending champion Graeme McDowell will be eager to repeat his last year’s stellar victory where he gathered the precious momentum to stage another consecutive win at the US open afterwards. The defending US Open champion will be accompanied
by Ryder Cup mates Peter Hanson, Ross Fisher and Miguel Angel Jimenez among the other top ranking players in the world who will be flexing their muscles for the upcoming US Open at Congressional.
McDowell, although ranked fifth in the world, had more or less a disappointing season so far. He failed to make the cut in last week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, but remains hopeful of defending his title this year. McDowell’s rampage at Celtic Manor
last year left many of the big guns stunned when the Irishman pulled in consecutive rounds of 63, and 64. McDowell was ranked 27th before his win at the Wales Open and forged his way all the way into the Top 10 with his coveted title win at the
US Open.
"Hopefully, I can use this week as the same kind of catalyst as I did last year. Win, or don't win, hopefully I can try to kick on from here and have a great season," said McDowell. "Winning here last year was huge for my confidence. The 36 holes I played
here on the weekend was probably still some of the best golf I have played in my life."
Runner-up, Rhys Davies will prove to be a tough contender again at his favourite venue where he posted a record final round score of 62 but failed to snatch the title from McDowell. Davies is coming out of a strong season so far and the 26-year-old will
have the benefit of the patriotic home crowd.
Poulter is another strong player in the field who has just rediscovered his form with his victory at the Volvo Word Match Play Championship. Sickened by the difficult Wentworth course, Poulter expressed his despise for the recent renovation carried out at
Wentworth at the BMW PGA Championship.
American John Daly has apparently decided to participate in as many events as possible and will again be part of the field this week at Celtic Manor. Darren Clarke and Dane Thomas Bjorn will also be contending for the £1.8m European Tour event.
This is the first event of the Wales Open which will be sponsored by the Automaker Saab and the company went as far as designating a Saab 9-5 2.0-litre TTiD XWD worth £34,465 for the hole-in-one at the 189 yards, par-3, 13th.
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