McDowell on his bike for major push

Petrol head Graeme McDowell is hoping to do a Tiger Woods and get on his bike for two massive weeks in the US.

As Woods bounced back to form by capturing the Buick Open in sensational style last week, the bike-mad Ulster ace "relaxed" by taking a 140 mph white knuckle ride around the Kirkistown circuit on the Ards peninsula with Suzuki TT stars Bruce Anstey and Cameron Donald.

Now McDowell wants to burn it up in the town they call Rubber City when he tees it up in this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron before heading Minnesota for the US PGA.

Ready for anything after that hair-raising experience, McDowell said: “It was an unbelievable adrenaline rush and a real buzz. I just tried to relax like Cameron told me through the corners, but the sense of speed on the straights was amazing and the acceleration superb.

"I didn’t get much of chance to be nervous as the boys had me in the leathers as soon as I arrived.

“Bruce took it easy for the first couple of laps - although I thought he was going quick enough - then he really opened it up."

McDowell's high-speed spin was a 30th birthday present from his dad Kenny but the world No 48 has no plans to splash out of a bike just yet.

He beamed: “I’ve really started at the top, but would I buy a bike after this? Well I’ll have to learn to ride one first.”

Seven times TT winner Anstey was impressed my McDowell's cool, explaining: “I did a couple of laps just to get warmed up, then I really gave it some.

“For never having been on a bike before, Graeme was a pretty confident pillion.

“I’m sure we were touching 140mph along Kirkistown’s back straight and I popped a couple of wheelies, which he seemed to enjoy. I think it’ll be a 30th birthday present he wont forget in a hurry.”

McDowell hit top speed in his career last year when he won twice and then played a blinder on his Ryder Cup debut in Kentucky.

But he's been stuck on the grid so far this term with just one top-10 finish in 16 starts.

Despite finishing as the top European in the Masters, he was disappointed by his finishes in the US Open and the Open and hopes to close out the Major season with a bang in the US PGA at Hazeltine next week.

Looking forward to his warm up in Akron, he said: "I was disappointed leaving the last two majors because I know I could have finished a lot better than I did.

"But I've been putting in the work and my game is gradually improving as the season progresses.

"Hopefully I can put it in top gear now with these two massive events coming up. I really believe I'm close to putting in the big finishes and maybe getting a win."

McDowell is one of five Irishmen in action in Akron this week alongside Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and shock Irish Open winner Shane Lowry.