At 1-under par, Graeme McDowell was barely even on the radar through three rounds at the Alston Open in Paris, France, this weekend. But that’s why they play 72 holes, not 54.
McDowell, the tournament’s defending champion, fired a 4-under 67 on Sunday to take advantage of previous leader Kevin Stadler’s meltdown and win his second straight French Open, finishing at 5-under.
Stadler and Thongchai Jaidee finished tied for second at 4-under.
McDowell didn’t even register a thought in most fans heads after he struggled down the back nine on Saturday with a triple bogey on No. 14 and two other bogeys.
He was 2-under at the turn on Sunday, and rattled off three birdies in a four-hole stretch between No. 13 and 16 before bogeying No. 18.
Jaidee was at 5-over for the round through four as he started off his round with three birdies and a double, then fought back to respectability with four birdies on his last 10 holes.
Stadler was just as bad on the front nine, hitting the turn at 5-over. He was still 5-over through 12 before knocking down birdies on 14 and 16. He could have forced a playoff with McDowell, but bogeyed No. 18 for the first time all tournament to fall a stroke short.
Almost as bad as Stadler’s crash and burn was that of France’s Victor Riu. Riu was 7-under through two days before falling off the pace with a 73 on Saturday and a 76 on Sunday to finish at even par for the tournament.
Riu birdied No. 1 on Sunday, then had nothing outside of two bogeys and two doubles the rest of the way.
US Open champion Martin Kaymer, who was on the edge of contention after Saturday, tumbled with a 6-over 77.
GolfBlogger.co.uk 