Without a win since the 2013 RBC Heritage, the 36-year-old found himself in the midst of a candid self-examination. Am I not good enough?’ You ask yourself all the questions, we’ve all been there. Am I finished with this game?
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“I said I was going to appreciate this when it came and I’m going to appreciate it”, said McDowell afterwards. He missed that next putt and made bogey to fall one shot behind, and it looked as though he wouldn’t get another chance.
The putt was center-cut the whole way. “It’s a definitely a plus, because the last couple of days I’ve been making a lot of mistakes”.
McDowell held his nerve, though, to head to the clubhouse on 18 under, with all the pressure on Knox who needed just a par on 18 to win but landed his approach shot short of the final green.
Knox needed just a par at the last to take the title but carded a bogey to match his rival’s score.
“It was unfortunate to hit a bad drive, since ultimately it cost me the tournament”, Knox said. “Because I didn’t, I don’t deserve it”.
Overnight leader Graeme McDowell (70) and former British Open champion Justin Leonard (67) were among a group of four players three strokes off the lead.
McDowell wasn’t planning on playing in Mexico except for his poor year.
A simple swing thought, it turns out, carried McDowell to victory.
“I hit my second ball further right than I hit my first – I figured I could be going home very, very soon”.
“He reminded me of a few stuff”, McDowell said. McDowell has been grinding hard since June, and he has been seeing signs of it getting better.
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McDowell typically plays the European Tour this time of the year as it wraps up the Race to Dubai. McDowell followed with a bogey and spent the rest of the round trying to catch up. He said he’d try to maintain the same attitude on Sunday and not worry about what his rivals might be doing on a course where low rounds are certainly possible.
