Like Chicago and Sinatra, Hoylake's McDowell's kind of town

Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland watches his tee shot on the fourth hole during a practice round ahead of the British Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, northern England July 15, 2014. REUTERS/Phil Noble

HOYLAKE England (Reuters) - Chicago was always Frank Sinatra's kind of town when the great crooner was in his pomp and the same thing could be said of self-confessed "short knocker" Graeme McDowell and this week's British Open venue.

The biggest tournaments these days often play into the hands of the long hitters but the Royal Liverpool Golf Club is an exception, as evidenced in 2006 when Tiger Woods shunned his driver on the way to a two-stroke victory.