US Open: Graeme McDowell Wins His First Golf Major at Pebble Beach, USA
US Open: Graeme McDowell Wins His First Golf Major at Pebble Beach
, USAThe 30-year-old Northern Irishman, Graeme McDowell won at Pebble Beach yesterday to clinch the US Open golf major and become the first European to win since 1970.
Two months ago, McDowell was not even in the top 50 in the world and was close to needing to qualify for Pebble Beach and next month's Open at St Andrews.
But, McDowell has now won on his last two starts - the Wales Open at Celtic Manor two weeks ago and now the US Open Major - and this victory has sent McDowell from 37th to 13th in the World rankings.
Only last week Lee Westwood won the St. Jude Classic in Memphis USA, beating Robert Karlsson on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff and this win in US was his second career PGA TOUR victory and first since 1998. The Europeans, and in particular the British golfers are certainly performing right now.
McDowell is the first European to win the US Open since 1970, when Tony Jacklin won and has secured his name to the trophy where so many famous champions already exist - including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite and Tiger Woods.
McDowell said that he felt a new chapter had opened for him after eight years on the European Tour.
"There are not too many bad golfers on this trophy," McDowell said. "And to join an elite list of names, I mean, careers are defined by major championships and my career's off and running today.
"It's been a special few weeks. To win in Wales and to come here and win, I can't describe how I feel. It's a surreal feeling for me right now but I feel ready to go.
"I'm playing the golf of my life right now and to pick up this trophy, I don't know, I'm not sure how much partying I'm going to do over the next three months."
"Probably I should sober up pre-Ryder Cup at some point, but I'm looking forward to celebrating this one and it's a cool feeling."
In a hard scoring week at Pebble Beach, McDowell held off the challenge of France's Gregory Havret on the final day and won by one-shot at level par. McDowell watch fellow contenders Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els also struggle and witnessed the third round leader Dustin Johnson absolutely fall apart, with a final round of +11 on the day, which left him 5 shots behind McDowell.
"It was a great day," McDowell said. I stuck to my game plan, did my job. I bogeyed nine and 10, and for the first time I had a look up at the leaderboard walking off 10, and I saw I was two in front.
"I really played good on the back nine, made some great swings, hit some really nice putts. And I'm sure Greg's disappointed - bogeyed 17, didn't birdie the last."
"When I saw him not birdie 18, I had my decision made. I laid it up, and obviously took my five, and they gave me this thing," said McDowell.
"I couldn't believe it. I think I've died and gone to heaven for sure. This can't be really real and I don't think this will ever sink in."
"It's a very special feeling to pick this trophy up on the 18th green of one of the most special golf courses on the planet."
"To join the list of names, Tom Kite, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus. I can't believe I'm standing here as a major champion. It's an amazing feeling."
Top 5 Players:
McDowell, G E
Havret, G +1
Els, E +2
Mickelson, P +3
Woods, T +4
All eyes were on the second golf major this past four days for the US Open at Pebble Beach and thousands travelled to the event staying in hotels and holiday accommodation in USA to watch their favourites play, on what was a touch course.
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