G-Mac NEWS
Graeme joins Smash for 2024!
Asian Tour – BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Tunas Niaga Energi
Nov 16 – 19, 2023
Graeme finished in T14 place on 10 under par at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club with rounds of 71, 68, 69, 66. Par for the course was 71.
GMac closed with a 66 Graeme and saved his best for last as a closing five-under 66 saw him climb to T14 at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE.
Graeme’s closing round saw the Portrush man go bogey-free and, having started on the 10th, he hit all seven fairways and all nine greens on his final nine holes, mixing two birdies on that side with three on the back to make it back-to-back top-15 finishes after a T12 at last week’s Hong Kong Open.
Graeme remained in 40th place after Day 3 after a two-under 69. Graeme endured a frustrating first nine holes – he started his round on the 10th – hitting all seven fairways and nine greens, but taking 18 putts as he traded a single birdie with a single bogey.
He fared slightly better with the flatstick on the front side, dropping a shot at the first after missing his first green of the day, but one-putted six of the final eight holes to card three birdies and reach the clubhouse at -5 for the tournament.
On Day 2 – Graeme moved inside the cutline with a 68 on day two in Indonesia. Errant tee shots and a cold putter forced Portrush man Graeme to birdie three of his closing five holes on day one to keep his head just above water at level-par, but a vastly improved tee game helped him to a second-round, three-under 68 and he climbs to a tie for 40th going into the weekend at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE. Graeme hit 11 of 14 fairways, trading five birdies with two bogeys to climb more than 40 places on the leaderboard in his first Indonesian appearance of his storied career.
Day 1 – Graeme battled back for level-par opener at BNI Indonesian Masters. Three birdies in his final five holes saw Graeme McDowell rescue a scrappy opening round at the Asian Tour’s BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE. Coming off the back of a T12 finish – his best of the year – in last week’s Hong Kong Open, the Portrush man is making his first appearance in Indonesia and was out of sorts on the front side, missing the first four fairways and taking 19 putts as he bogeyed the first, second and fifth holes to make the turn at +3. A birdie at 12 was his first of the day, and though he’d immediately give that shot back at the next, he’d respond with back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15 before adding another on the par-5 closing hole to claw his way back to level-par and finish the day tied for 68th.
Earlier in the week, Graeme won the first ever Hole in One in rooftop challenge at Wynn Palace in Macau.
He made short work of the inaugural Hole in One Challenge from the rooftop of the stunning Wynn Palace 5-star hotel, at the official confirmation of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn in Macau.
2010 US Open champion McDowell, was triumphed in the shootout with fellow LIV Golf star Patrick Reed and Andy Ogletree. The trio were shooting it out in a fun nearest-the-pin competition from the Wynn Palace rooftop, 28 floors high, aiming at a floating pontoon par-three green 197 yards away in the hotel lake. McDowell fired a 7 iron to within just inches of the flag for the nearest of the pin, despite windy conditions.
The activation was held ahead of a press conference at the Wynn Palace to announce the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, which will take place from 14-17 March 2024 at the Macau Golf & Country Club – a new destination on The International Series schedule. It is the first International Series event to be confirmed for 2024.
GMac said: “That was fun, it’s always enjoyable to have a bit of a challenge and banter. And what a stunning setting for a nearest the pin. It’s been a wonderful couple of days, I do love coming to this part of the world and this hotel is exceptional. The players on next year’s International Macau are in for a real treat, and their presence will help to further develop golf in the region.”
Asian Tour – Hong Kong Open
Nov 9 – 12, 2023
Graeme came home in T12 place on 13 under par at the Hong Kong Golf Club with rounds of 67, 65, 66, 69. Par for the course was 70.
He started his opening day well with early birdies on the second and third holes followed by after another on the 9th. He then made par on every hole coming in to end a bogey free round on 3 under. On Friday, Graeme fired a five-under 65 to move to within four shots of the lead at the halfway in the Asian Tour’s Hong Kong Open. On moving day the Portrush man missed just one fairway at tight Hong Kong Golf Club and found 14 greens in regulation as he made five birdies, with his only dropped shot coming after a three-putt at the fourth. This put him in the pack at T7 going into the final day, 4 shots back from the lead. Sunday was a mixed bag with three birdies cancelled by out by three bogeys on the front nine which dropped Graeme off the pace. He made birdie on the par 5, 13th to end on the day with a 1 under par 69, and T12 for the week.
Asian Tour – Volvo China Open
Nov 2 – 5, 2023
Graeme finishes in T13 place on 7 under par at the Hidden Grace Golf Club with rounds of 72, 68, 70 and 71.
Heading into the weekend Graeme shot his best round, a four-under 68 which moved him into the top-20. He followed that up with a third round 70, including a birdie on 17 which took him to -2 for the day and -6 overall. On Sunday Graeme made three birdies and two bogeys enroute to a final round one-under 71, this saw him climb three places on the leaderboard and gave him a final position for the week of T13.
Graeme was back in action on the Asian Tour’s International Series Volvo China Open at Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen. Graeme, who was the runner-up in the China Open in 2007, has always performed well in this part of the world. He is determined and delighted to be back in Shenzhen after an eight-year absence and is thoroughly impressed with the condition of the golf course.
Liv Golf – MIAMI
Oct 20—22, 2023
Trump National Doral, Miami, USA
Cleeks GC (Graeme, M Kaymer, B Wiesberger and R Bland) finished in 7 position at the Fantastic Finale to an incredible 2023 season!
Cleeks GC won their quarter final against Ripper GC, it was an exciting finish with Graeme holing an 18-foot birdie putt on the third extra hole to win the foursomes match. Graeme won his Semi Final match 3&2 against Charles Howell III, but it wasn’t enough as Cleeks GC lost out to Crushers.
WHO WILL TAME THE BLUE MONSTER IN MIAMI?
Few challenges are more daunting than the monster lying in wait for the stars of the LIV Golf League at the Trump National Doral Golf Club.
Soon after it opened in 1962, the flagship course at this resort was named the Blue Monster – and it’s been living up to its billing ever since.
LIV Golf’s biggest prize is at stake Oct 20-22 at the Team Championship at the iconic Trump National Doral. Two days of intense match play, followed by the thrilling every-shot-counts stroke-play Championship round, will climax with a champagne celebration for the winning team.
Liv Golf – JEDDAH
Oct 13—15, 2023
Graeme finished in 29th place at Jaddah.
Royal Greens holds fond memories for Graeme with him winning the Saudi International back in 2020.
Graeme got off to a slow with a +3 opening round. He opened with a birdie on the 11th (his 1st) but dropped 3 shots by the time he got his 10th hole, he then made birdie on 11 before dropping back again with two bogey’s on the 14/15th. He scored -1 on his second round which included 4 birdies, bogey and a double bogey on the 3rd (his 7th) Things all changed on the final day with an incredible 7 under par. Graeme really got into his groove and showed his class with 8 birdies, four of which came on consecutive holes between the 2 and 5 (his 9th-12th) The only blemish was a bogey on the 1st his 8th. With the final round form during the week, Graeme would have been right a the top of the leaderboard at the end.
Result, 29th place with rounds of +3 (73), -1(69), -7(63) for a score of -5
Team CLEEKS GC (-29) Finished in 3rd place :Richard Bland -3,-1,-4, Tot -8, Martin Kaymer -2, -4, E, Tot -6, Bernd Wiesberger +1, -2, -7, Tot -8, Graeme McDowell +3, -1, -7 Tot -5
About JEDDAH
It’s all about the LIV Golf teams at Royal Greens
The LIV Golf League returns to Jeddah at Royal Greens – named the Middle East’s best golf course in 2021. It’s been the venue for many pro events, including the PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers. This has been won in recent years by LIV Golf stars Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell and Harold Varner III.
It was also the stage for the regular-season finale of the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series, which was won by Brooks Koepka. He beat fellow American Peter Uihlein at the third play-off hole, with Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann tied for third place.
Royal Greens opened as recently as 2017, but it has rapidly acquired a reputation as one of the world’s top courses. This is a long, challenging track by the Red Sea, where accuracy is at a premium on the superbly manicured fairways.
Look out for the 6th, a 470-yard par-4 dogleg, and the 18th, a long waterlined par-5 that provides a stern test to finish the round.
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