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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP


August 11, 2013


Graeme McDowell


ROCHESTER, NEW YORK

GRAEME MCDOWELL:  Sort of sparked off with a long‑ish putt on the par‑5, 4th.  Then I hit it stiff on 5 and 6 and a great 4‑iron into 7 to about 20feet, you know, one of my rare good putts of the week.
Then stiffed it on 8 and followed up with a bad drive on 9 and made bogey there.
That's the way this golf course is.  I think that's been reflected in the scoring this week.  If you do hit it in the fairway, if you do hit good shots, you can really make a lot of good birdies here.  If you do hit it offline, this golf course is very penal.

Q.  You really wanted this experience in a major.  You had a very good major here in 2012, not such a good year this year.  It does give you the springboard for the rest of the season?
GRAEME MCDOWELL:  It's very difficult to have your game exacted for these weeks, you know.  It's hard to peak.  It's hard to be ready.
I look at the Masters, I missed there and I win the week after.  You know, missed the cut at U.S. Open and win a couple of weeks there at the French Open.
It's a hard game.  It's hard to get it right on the day.  The major championships are the toughest test in golf, as we know.  They stress you.  They frustrate you.  That's why great players win majors because they are hard to win.

Q.  How far was that putt at the last?
GRAEME MCDOWELL:  It was about 15feet.  Been great on my putting the last couple of weeks and think we might have found a little key there last night when we were working on some drills.
Putted a little better today.  Putter has been cold for the last few months, been disappointing few months even with the French Open in there.  Some very average ball striking, very average technique.  I feel like I kind of got it back on track a little this week.
Like I said, hit it better Thursday and Friday than I did on the weekend.  It was nice to get some momentum out there.  What did I make eight birdies or something today.  That was very pleasing.

Q.  What was the difference today?
GRAEME MCDOWELL:  I just hit it closer today.  I think I had‑‑ I think I had four kick‑ins today, no, five kick‑ins.

Q.  (Inaudible)?
GRAEME MCDOWELL:  Five birdies within threefeet.  I made a couple of nice onces.  Made a large putt on 17 for bogey after missing the fairway right.  Trying to hit a punch out below some trees and didn't get it out, so it was nice to‑‑ standing there hitting my third shot on 17, I wasn't expecting to play those last two holes level par.  So I'll take it and run.
It's been a frustrating few months, but that was a little glimmer of light, something to take away.  I'll reset now for tendays and go to New York and begin the FedEx playoffs and see if I can get something going.

Q.  What's that been like at the FedEx over the last few years?
GRAEME MCDOWELL:  FedEx has been tough for me the last few years.  I haven't really got into it, if you like.  This is probably the first year I'm going in there with some certain numbers on the board.  I'm guaranteed the first three.  I kind of know what I have to do to get into the Tour Championship and sort of set that as my goal at the start of the year was to get into the Tour Championship.  I wanted to experience that a little bit.
It's so volatile.  It's a very, very different format from what we're used to in regular golf throughout history.  The best player wins the Money List, wins the best player of the year.
The FedEx playoffs, you can go in having a phenomenal season‑‑ Padraig Harrington wins two major championships and doesn't get into the Tour Championship.  So that just about sums up how volatile the FedEx has been.  It is what it is.  You have just got to go in there and play aggressive and try to put some numbers up.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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