Graeme McDowell player biography

Full name: Graeme McDowell
Country: Northern Ireland
Birthdate: 30.07.79
Residence: Portrush, Northern Ireland
Turned Pro: 2002

Graeme McDowell ended a 40 year wait for a European winner of the US Open when he claimed his first Major title over the famous links at Pebble Beach in June 2010.

He joined Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite and Tiger Woods as winners of the second oldest Major at Pebble Beach. His historic victory was only the second Major triumph by a player from Northern Ireland, following Fred Daly, who also came from Portrush, winner of The 1947 Open Championship. It was the first US Open success by a European since Tony Jacklin in 1970 and he joined the elite company of British golfers to have won the US Open alongside Harry Vardon (1900), Ted Ray (1920), Jim Barnes (1921), Tommy Armour (1927) and Jacklin (1970). His victory in California was his second win in consecutive appearances as two weeks earlier he captured the Celtic Manor Wales Open with rounds of 64-63 over the weekend on The Twenty Ten course that will host The Ryder Cup in October 2010. His US Open victory also catapulted him to the top of The Race to Dubai for the first time in his career. Won the inaugural Ballantine’s Championship in March 2008, sparking the beginning of a terrific season that yielded a second victory at The Barclays Scottish Open and a Ryder Cup debut against the USA at Valhalla Golf Club. Won his maiden European Tour title on only his fourth start in the 2002 Scandinavian Masters and confirmed that potential by finishing sixth on the Order of Merit in 2004 after capturing his second Tour victory in the Telecom Italia Open. Before turning professional, he played a prominent role in Great Britain and Ireland’s retention of the Walker Cup in 2001 at Sea Island in Georgia. At the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and was ranked Number One Collegiate Golfer in the United States and out of 12 starts won an incredible six events with a stroke average of 69.6 – beating the previous best returned by Luke Donald and Tiger Woods. The middle child of three brothers, Graeme picked up a golf club for the first time aged seven, when his dad, Kenny, would take Graeme and younger brother Gary to the local pitch-and-putt course. At the age of ten, the boys were allowed to join Rathmore, the golf club which shares the world-famous links of Royal Portrush and it was there that he honed the skills which led to Major success.

IN THE BAG:

DRIVER: Callaway FT Tour N 8.5
FAIRWAY: Callaway FT-i Squareway 15 deg
HYBRIDS: Callaway Heavenwood
IRONS: Callaway X-Forged irons (4-9), Project X 6.5 flighted
WEDGES: Callaway X-Forged vintage wedge (48, 52 & 58)
PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot #7
BALL: Callaway Tour i(x)