Winnings Ways

Last updated: 21st June 2010

GRAEME MCDOWELL - US OPEN CHAMPION

In the bag

Driver - Callaway FT-3
Fairway-wood - Callaway X-Tour
Hybrid - Callaway FT
Irons - Callaway X-Forged
Wedges - Callaway X-Forged
Putter - Odyssey White Hot XG
Ball - Callaway Tour ix

Turning point

In the final round itself, and even throughout the tournament, it is hard to pinpoint one moment when you knew the destiny of the title swung inexorably McDowell's way.

We know precisely when the tournament slipped horribly from the grasp of the 54-hole leader Dustin Johnson - it was as he thrashed and flapped his way through the opening holes, playing the first seven in bogey golf.

But McDowell, somewhat in the manner of Retief Goosen, remained patient as he undertook he US Open examination. His great skill over the entire week was to minimise damage to his scorecard.

Tiger Woods remarked after his low third round that in every one of his US Open wins he had enjoyed a short purple patch (such as his back nine that day). What he didn't add, but might have, was that for the other 63 holes it is essential for a US Open championship contender to do his utmost not to destroy the good work of that short period of low scoring.

McDowell had his own purple patch during the second round when he picked up five birdies in eleven holes to shoot 68 and take the lead. Thereafter he curtailed the damage in a calm, unfussy manner, impressing with his ability to hole out for par from outside gimme distance.

So there was little in the way of a turning point; more a slow turning of the screw.

However if we go back a few weeks we might find one clue to McDowell's extraordinary run of form that has seen him claimed two wins in two starts (previously unprecedented when the US Open is the second win).

One month ago McDowell walked off the West Course at Wentworth having played with Simon Khan, whose low final round had bounced him to the top of the leaderboard in the BMW PGA Championship.

Talking to a small group of press afterwards McDowell was gracious about Khan's superb effort but he admitted: "It should have been me. I thought it was going to be me."

He wasn't jealous of Khan, merely acknowledging that golf of that quality was within his grasp and that next time he wanted some of it.

The Northern Irishman knew he was playing well so perhaps he needed to see someone else pull off the trick of winning to kickstart his ability to score well too; perhaps that was his turning point.

Whatever, the next week he finished fourth in Madrid, the following week he won in Wales, he took one week off and then triumphed in America.

Stats

The stats show that McDowell was strong in all departments - enough to be ranked second in the field for All-round game - but his putting separated him from his nearest competitors.

Perhaps surprisingly he ranked seventh for Driving Distance which helped him ranked 13th for Greens in Regulation even though he was only 43rd for Driving Accuracy.

But only two other players - and none in the top fifteen - could better his total of 109 putts for the week.

He also putted better than his nearest rivals when hitting the Greens in Regulation, averaging 1.64 putts in such circumstances.

Insight

All week the Irish were smiling because, unlike other US Opens which take place in hot and sweaty parts of the America, the cool and blustery conditions on the Monterrey Peninsula suited them down to the ground.

"Just like home," smiled Padraig Harrington. And McDowell too, acknowledged the comfort levels, although he also knew that the views of the ocean, over those cliffs, playing on a linksy golf course, reminded him of home and he was happy in that environment.

Perhaps something else made him feel at home. Stood on that final tee, with boats bobbing about on the water and a fairway stretching out along the coast with trouble all down the left, was he maybe reminded of Loch Lomond - a similar scene?

Probably not, but a curiosity of the good finishers last week is how many of them have done very well at Loch Lomond - not just McDowell, but Havret, Els and Mickelson. You could even add Kaymer, Clark, Westwood and Schwartzel - all of them top 20 finishers and all have finished in the top two on the banks of Loch Lomond.

In his words

McDowell afterwards focused on how he has learned to contend.

"I've played in plenty of Major Championships. I played in plenty of tournaments where I made the mistakes. I feel like I've served my apprenticeship a few times. I've been in positions going into a weekend at majors and not done the job.

"I just have so much more confidence in my ability, and my game. I worked hard. I felt my game improve as the years have gone on. I walked away from the win in Wales and really felt like I was playing the golf of my life. And I feel very calm under the pressure this afternoon.

"I made some great swings on that back nine. I struggled with my game yesterday. Yesterday was a big day for me. I hung in there. I hung tough when I wasn't really on my game. And I really kept myself into it with an opportunity to win the golf tournament, and I was happy to stay in the present out there this afternoon; and thankfully the golfing gods were looking down on me this afternoon."

AROUND THE WORLD:

EUROPEAN TOUR
Martin Wiegele - Saint-Omer Open champion

Wiegele became only the second Austrian to win on the European Tour after a strong start that made up for a double-bogey on his final hole on Saturday. "It brought me right back into contention straight away," he said, "and gave me a lot of confidence especially as it is not an easy start on this course." Wiegele had won nothing for three years and now, two weeks after claiming victory on home soil on the Challenge Tour, he has gone back to back. The win earns him a two year exemption on the European Tour.

LPGA TOUR
Ai Miyazato - ShopRite LPGA Classic winner

With a fourth win of the year Miyazato became the new world ranked number one player. That only confirms what has become ever more apparent since the start of the year; once she had come to terms with finally winning last year (at Evian), Miyazato has become ready to dominate the ladies game. Her bogey-free round of seven-under-par 64 caught and left behind a quality field leaving her with two aims for the rest of the year: "to be player of the year and win a major."

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
Lee-Anne Pace - Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open champion

The 29-year-old South African spent last week working on her swing with her coach and completed the makeover with the acquisition of a new putter. The change was stunning as she swept to victory in an event reduced to 54 holes after weather disruption. "It's great," she said afterwards. "I can't stop smiling. My lips hurt, my cheeks hurt, but it's awesome."

ASIAN TOUR
Tetsuji Hiratsuka - Queen's Cup champion

A 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole gained the 38-year-old Japanese player a one shot victory over the local hero Thaworn Wiratchant. It was Hiratsuka's second win of the year. "I love Asia and I am in the best form of my life," he said afterwards.

NATIONWIDE TOUR
Chris Kirk - Fort Smith Classic winner

A six-under par find round of 64 allowed Kirk to claim his first professional title and withstand a strong challenge from Kyle Thompson who struck a 63. "It's been a lot of years since I won a tournament," said Kirk, "I had forgotten how good it feels."

CHALLENGE TOUR
Christopher Ryan Baker - Moroccan Golf Classic winner

The 21-year-old American became the tenth player to win on Challenge Tour debut and also the first American winner since Kevin Stadler took the Argentine Open in 2006. His final round of 68 contained four birdies and no dropped shots, enough to overhaul the pre-round leader Jesus Maria Arruti and take a two shot lead up the final hole.

EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR
John Bland - Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open champion

The 64-year-old South African rolled back the years with a one shot win at Royal Porthcawl. "The course was very tricky," he said. "They key was finding the right club but I handled it well except for the last when I found a bunker and got a bit nervous."