McDowell sees red over slow play "yellow card"

Graeme McDowell. Picture: Getty Images

Graeme McDowell was furious after a mid-round TV chat led to a frustrating slow play "yellow card" in the Saudi International.

He shot a two-under 68 to go into the weekend just two shots behind French star Victor Perez on eight-under-par.

But he was hugely irritated to get a "bad time" after falling victim to the tour's stringent new slow play rules.

Referee Mark Litton put McDowell's group in the clock before giving him a bad time a few holes later.

The 2010 US Open champion agreed to speak to Sky Sports as he walked off the sixth tee (his 15th hole), but his two-minute walk-and-talk with reporter Tim Barter left him 50 yards behind playing partners Phil Mickelson and Rafa Cabrera Bello.

"I got up there, I was first to go and had 215 yards into the wind, and it was a difficult shot," said McDowell, who faces an automatic one-stroke penalty if he gets another bad time this weekend.

"I'd have called a time-out if that was something automatic in my brain. But it's the last thing I think of out there.

As the first to hit, he had 50 rather than 40 seconds to play his difficult 215-yard approach but was timed at 84 seconds by the referee.

Under the new regulations, he could have called to the referee during his allotted time and asked for a once-per-round "time extension" and an extra 40 seconds.

"I actually jokingly called a time out after the shot because I thought he'd have given me the benefit of the doubt, but he was like, 'no, that's a bad time’,” he told reporters. “I'm like, brilliant mate!"

Feeling rushed as he played his approach on the seventh, TV cameras caught him grumbling loudly.

"Such a rush to hit this shot!" he said as he sized up his approach from the rough. "It's a joke.”

While he agrees the game must speed up, he felt he could have been given some leeway by the referee moments after doing his bit to liven up pedestrian TV coverage with a mid-round chat for the second day running.

Victor Perez and caddie JP Fitzgerald

Up-and-coming star Perez, meanwhile, fired a second successive 65 to lead by a shot from his former University of New Mexico roommate Gavin Green of Malaysia on 10-under with McDowell, who had 33 putts, a shot further back in third.

Having completed a 67 in round two, Perez said: “I think I've done pretty well so far. I've got no complaints. I've been hitting it solid and putting the balls in the right position. It's a bit of a hit-and-miss, because the greens are so tricky out here, especially with the wind. 

“I'm excited just to be in the mix. I've been there a couple times and just try to put myself in the position a couple more times and see what happens.”

Green’s tournament best 64 from the opening day was equalled by a resurgent Martin Kaymer, who went bogey free to propel himself from three-over to three-under, in what was the day’s stand-out round.

“I feel really close with my game because I have a plan now,” said the German. “I changed a few things over the winter with my driving because I was never happy with the way I drove the ball. It was straight, but it was never long enough to compete, really, on the big events. I'm very happy with the way I drive it right now.”

Looking back on his round, McDowell said: “It was tough to get going. A couple of birdies on the front were very pleasing and it was nice to hang in there coming in. It was really just a little bit colder with the putter today, and that was really the only difference between a great round yesterday and an average enough one today. It's all to play for 36 holes left and I feel like I'm playing well enough to compete and get the job done.”

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, defending champion Dustin Johnson (both -5), Phil Mickelson and Open winner Shane Lowry (both -4) remain in contention. US powerhouse Brooks Koepka will be hoping for a fast start at one-under par.

American world number 12, Patrick Reed (+3) and Lee Westwood (+3) were two of only a handful of big names to miss the cut.

Defending champion Dustin Johnson is five behind after a 68 with a grinding Shane Lowry tied for 12th alongside Phil Mickelson on four-under after a 67 and world No 1 Brooks Koepka nine adrift after a 69.

Limpopo Championship co-leader Louis de Jager. Picture: Sunshine Tour

On the PGA Tour, JB Holmes shot a six-under 64 to lead the the Waste Management Phoenix Open by a shot from overnight leader Wyndham Clark on 13-under par.

Jon Rahm. who needs to win and hope Koepka finishes outside the top four in Saudi Arabia to become world No 1, made a back nine charge with five birdies in a row but bogeyed the 16th and 18th to shoot 68 and go into the weekend tied for 12th on seven-under.

There was no luck for the Irish in the Challenge Tour's season-opening Limpopo Championship in South Africa where Robin Dawson (level), Niall Kearney (one-over) and Conor O'Rourke (five-over) missed the three-under cut and Gavin Moynihan and Michael Hoey retired. 

South Africans Louis de Jager and Jacques Kruyswijk both fired eight under par rounds of 64 at Koro Creek Golf Club to take a share of the lead into the weekend.

In Marrakech, Darren Clarke shot 68 to lie seven shots behind Stephen Ames on five-under heading into the final round in the PGA Tour Champions' Morocco Champions.