Back to Back Wins for Graeme McDowell?
The 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach was a changing day for Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. Only five short years prior to June 20th when McDowell became the first European to win the US Open in 40 years, he was thinking of giving up on golf altogether.
Five years ago, golf was not a profession in which McDowell could claim any kind of fame and he was facing the heartbreaking end to a personal relationship. When thinking on that time, McDowell tells the UK Telegraph: “I wanted to put my heart and soul into my job…I wanted to get my life in order, to dedicate myself to the game, to give myself every chance. Fortunately, I managed to get my head around it...But five years ago, the phone was not ringing with opportunity.”
Fast forward to the present where McDowell has offers and buzz flying around his name as he enters the much anticipated British Open, better known as just "The Open." Every golfer from Arnold Palmer to Greg Norman wants to congratulate thirty year-old McDowell as he enters the first day of the next big tournament on St. Andrews’ famous greens in Scotland.
McDowell's triumph on Pebble Beach even managed to repair a rift between himself and South African professional golfer Ernie Els. The two had argued back in May over McDowell’s dislike of Els’ redesign of the Wentworth course. However, the animosity has been patched up. McDowell is impressed by Els’ well wishes and he notes his surprise by saying, “We had a bust-up but he left a great voicemail. The response I’ve had has been overwhelming. I feel privileged. It has been a surreal couple of weeks.”
Going into The Open, McDowell is undoubtedly aiming for back-to-back wins. Certainly, the newcomer to fame does not want all of the praise and glory to end and there is no reason for his Irish luck to run out.
McDowell shot a record-holding 62 at St. Andrews in 2004, and with multiple-win champions like Padraig Harrington sharing advice and working with him, McDowell is certain he can avoid the mistakes that bring other Major winners down. He boasts to the UK Telegraph: “I know Padraig and Ernie, guys like that, to be able to have some dinner with them, chat with them, and understand how they have dealt with it in the past. I’ve got great people working with me and I believe they’ll not let me make the mistakes that will drag me down.”
While McDowell modestly gives praise to fellow Irish golfer rising star Rory McIlroy, he is at the same time very optimistic about his own abilities to win at St. Andrews. McDowell’s win at Pebble beach showed that after heartbreak and after years of being a blip on the radar, he finally has his head in the game. St. Andrews is a very different course and requires an entirely different level of concentration. Some even joke that it could be won with a putter alone. However, McDowell’s short game at Pebble Beach has proven once and for all that he is up to the challenge.
Whether McDowell or McIlroy takes home The Open’s glory this year, it is clear that Team Europe is the one to watch. On the one hand, McDowell took home the US Open trophy and Italian professional golfer Edoardo Molinari just won the Barclay’s Scottish Open at Loch Lomond. Then there's Irishman Darren Clarke, who made it to The Open unexpectedly after taking home second place at Loch Lomond this year. He is also a viable contender for Team Europe. On the other hand, or the American side rather, team U.S. favourite Phil Mickelson placed poorly in the Scottish Open. Another favourite U.S. competitor, Tiger Woods, is surrounded by negative media attention that could affect his game. Both players should be intimidated.
McDowell, however, is not at all intimidated by Team U.S., announcing his intentions by saying, “I’ve got some big goals I want to achieve.” The first of which is clearly to win The Open, and if his head is as clear as it was at Pebble Beach, McDowell will certainly succeed.
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