McDowell defeats Levet in Italian Open playoff
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2004 Italian Open | Wrap | 03 May 2004
It was Northern Ireland verses France over the closing stages of the Telecom Italia Open but it would be Thomas Levet and not Gregory Havret who would fly the tri-colour flag against the man from Portrush, Graeme McDowell.
When darkness caused the players to leave the course on Sunday evening with just a few holes to play in the final round, McDowell and Havret shared a narrow one shot lead over Levet. On his return, and with just two holes to play, Havret was unable to reproduce some of the brilliance he had shown on Sunday which had seen him fire six birdies and two eagles in his first fifteen holes. He finished with two pars this morning and it was left to McDowell and Levet, both of whom had four holes to play today, to fight out the title. McDowell was quickly out of the blocks in the early morning (7.30am) start with a birdie at the 15th but Levet was able to match that birdie at the 15th and then add another at the 17th to draw level at the completion of regulation play.
McDowell, looking for his second European Tour win to follow his surprise win at the Volvo Masters in 2002, went on to win at the fourth extra hole over Levet. Both players were looking to rekindle fond memories of 2002 when McDowell won the Volvo Scandanavian Masters in just his fourth event as a professional and Levet was beaten in a playoff for the British Open.
Levet’s last win was at the 2001 British Masters, and apart from that British Open performance and one or two good finishes at the beginning of 2003 and 2004 seasons, he has not come anywhere near those heights since. It’s a fair bet to say that Levet may still be regretting a rather strange gesture to the crowd at Muirfield in 2002 when en route to the playoff against Els, Appleby and Elkington, he seemed more interested in getting the crowd support behind him than focusing on the job at hand.
McDowell was an immediate hit on turning professional after a brilliant amateur career in the US playing collegiate golf for the University of Alabama. His win at the Volvo was simply stunning for one so inexperienced, but apart from a fifth place at the Deutcshe Bank Open last year in Germany, there has not been much to get excited about since although they were very giddy, early heights. He did show a few weeks ago that things were about to get better however with a seventh and third placing in the Qatar and Maidera Island tournaments. At just twenty four, he appears to have some sort of future.
Havret finished third one behind the playoff and Angel Cabrera fourth.
The leading Australasian was Richard Green in 24th place, Michael Campbell, after his opening 65 finished 28th, along with Marcus Fraser and Paul Marantz, Terry Price 40th and Wade Ormsby closed alongside Brett Rumford in equal 48th.
The European Tour finally makes it back to Britain this week for the British Masters although the family reunions will be short lived for some with the BMW Asian Open in China next week.
