Darren Clarke and Shane Lowry have backed the European Tour’s move not to sanction the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational next year.

Things are nowhere near as bad as the annus horribilis of 2006 but Graeme McDowell’s fifth missed cut of the season at the Alstom Open de France is the kind of result that could send the help scurrying for cover.

Graeme McDowell needed two late birdies to get back inside the projected cut mark after an unsteady start to his bid for a third successive Alstom Open de France title at Le Golf National.

It wasn't something we hadn't heard before but after feeding off Graeme McDowell to win his place in The Open with a gutsy seventh place finish, Michael Hoey summed up the thrilling performance of the two-time Open de France winner.

Graeme McDowell predicted it might just be possible. "All I can do is go try to shoot 66, 67... there's a 75, 76 waiting for anyone on this golf course." He was spot on as he shot the joint best round of the day - 67 - to capture his 10th European Tour title and put himself back in the Ryder Cup reckoning with a superb putting performance at Le Golf National.