A round-up of the rest of today's news from Hazeltine

McDowell working off some of the frustration

AS one of the last men left on the range on Tuesday evening, Graeme McDowell was searching for the secret. Somewhere between then and yesterday’s first round he found it: he hit 16 greens in regulation and signed for an opening 70 that jumped him into the business end of the season’s final major.

“I haven’t been 100 per cent happy with my full swing of late, just waiting for that one little thing, that one little cog, to fall into place and I feel very, very close to playing well.

“I’ve been frustrated and disappointed at the lack of results this season, and I guess you’ve got to focus more on the process and that’s what I’m trying to do.

“I’m excited about the rest of the season because I’m feeling fit and healthy and I feel like I’m starting to play well. So I’ve got a lot to play for here from September onwards, obviously with the Ryder Cup points kicking in, and I’m really focusing hard on those.”

McDowell, who headed off to the short game area for further work after his round, wasn’t intending to hold anything back for the rest of the championship.

“A top-10 in a major was certainly one of my goals (for the season). I’ve given myself three great chances at it, but not quite got the job done. I’ve give myself another chance this week after a great start again.

“I just have to keep the accelerator down.

“This golf course, it’s a real brute length-wise. I’ve got to really try and stay patient with the driver, keep it in play and just trust my iron play and chipping and putting really.”

Casey may be out for some time

PAUL Casey will rely on medical opinion to decide when he should return to competitive action, after a chest injury - to his intercostal muscles - forced the Englishman to withdraw, just as he had from last week’s Bridgestone Invitational after just six holes when he aggravated the injury, sustained just before last month’s British Open.

A simple drill on the range – under the supervision of his coach Peter Kostis – turned bad as he damaged the intercostals. He is due to undergo X-ray and CT scans in Phoenix, Arizona, when he returned home yesterday.

Casey made the decision to withdraw just an hour before his tee-time, firstly informing first reserve Tim Petrovic, who was beside him on the range. Petrovic didn’t make the most of his chance, shooting a 76.

Casey, the leader of the Race to Dubai money list and facing into the US Tour’s FedEx Cup play-offs next month, is unsure when he can resume.

“There’s a lot of guys who have had similar issues in the past and the advice I’ve been given by the experts and other players is, ‘don’t push it too quickly’.”

Did you hear the one about...?

WILL the real Pádraig Harrington stand up, maybe at the Edinburgh comedy festival?

At his champions’ dinner here the other night, the Dubliner – often the butt of many a joke from Mario Rosenstock on Today FM’s Gift Grub, including one scene where he fulfils his childhood ambition to be a forklift truck driver reversing – was the one who had his audience eating out of the palm of his hands with a stand-up routine.

One joke started, “There were two Irishmen who walked out of a bar.” Pause. Then, “No, really, they walked . . . ”

And this ability to crack jokes at the stereotype had Tiger, Phil, Vijay et al in stitches.

And his parting shot after hosting a dinner which comprised a main course of Guinness and Steak pie?

“Well, I’m off to the Waffle House now . . . and I’ll be disappointed if I see the rest of you there.”