As the man who sparked Europe’s recent run of success in the US Open, Graeme McDowell knows exactly what it takes to win this most demanding of Majors.
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The Ulsterman’s victory at Pebble Beach in 2010 heralded the start of an unprecedented period of European dominance, with his compatriot Rory McIlroy (2011), Englishman Justin Rose (2013) and Martin Kaymer (2014) all subsequently following in his footsteps.
Speaking ahead of his 10th appearance in the US Open, McDowell’s pride in leading the European charge was very evident.
He said: “I was the first European in 40 years to win the US Open, and now we’ve had four winners in the past five years.
“It’s tough to put your finger on exactly why it’s happened that way, but I think we Europeans are becoming so much more comfortable on this side of the Atlantic.
“So I think it’s a comfort factor, and getting familiar with the golf courses over here. It was a lot of fun to lead that charge and I would love to continue the roll this week.”
Graeme McDowell said he hasn’t seen a golf course this firm and fast since Hoylake in 2006 which was an Open Championship. #USOpen
— Kelly Tilghman (@KellyTilghmanGC) June 16, 2015
It has been some time since McDowell contended in a major, but having rediscovered his drive after the birth of his daughter Vale led – by his own admission – to a dip in his on-course motivation, the 35-year-old feels ready to shine again.
McDowell said: “I’ve been wrestling a little bit with my level of motivation with getting married and having a baby and all the exciting things in my life happening.
“I haven’t felt the same desire and urge to go out there and practice, and that’s affected my game.
“It’s one of those things that you never think is going to happen to you. But when it happens, it is important to have a good team of people around you to help you acknowledge it and help you sift through where the problems lie.
“Over the last three or four months, I’ve decided that I want more of this stuff. I want to win more major championships.
“I have the desire back to practice again and work harder, because I love being in contention in the biggest events in the world.
“My 2010 win was amazing for me, but I don’t want it to define my career. I’d like to continue defining my career from here onwards.”
