KIDWCKED
06-21-2010, 10:48 PM
c/p from espn by the a/p
LE BEACH, Calif. -- Graeme McDowell doesn't have the golfing pedigree of a U.S. Open champion at Pebble Beach.
All he had Sunday was the game it takes to win.
At a U.S. Open that will likely always be defined by failure, Graeme McDowell turned what was a final-day fiasco for just about everyone else into the highlight of a lifetime, writes Bob Harig.
Pebble Beach took a pound of flesh from each of the 83 players at the U.S. Open. McDowell, though, survived to claim his first major championship,
Even as the biggest stars -- Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els -- were lined up behind him on the leaderboard and poised to contribute to the lineage of champions on this majestic course, McDowell never felt out of place.
Despite making only one birdie in the final round, the 30-year-old from Northern Ireland was steady amid the stars of his generation and closed with a 3-over 74 to become the first European in 40 years to capture America's national championship.
He seized control after a shocking collapse by Dustin Johnson, then failed to get flustered by the three stars behind him, who have combined for 184 victories and 21 majors. All he had to do on the final hole was two-putt for par from 20 feet to join a distinguished list.
"To win at Pebble Beach, to join the names -- Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, Tiger Woods, me -- wow!" McDowell said. "I'm not quite sure if I belong in that list, but hey, I'm there now. It's a pretty amazing feeling."
LE BEACH, Calif. -- Graeme McDowell doesn't have the golfing pedigree of a U.S. Open champion at Pebble Beach.
All he had Sunday was the game it takes to win.
At a U.S. Open that will likely always be defined by failure, Graeme McDowell turned what was a final-day fiasco for just about everyone else into the highlight of a lifetime, writes Bob Harig.
Pebble Beach took a pound of flesh from each of the 83 players at the U.S. Open. McDowell, though, survived to claim his first major championship,
Even as the biggest stars -- Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els -- were lined up behind him on the leaderboard and poised to contribute to the lineage of champions on this majestic course, McDowell never felt out of place.
Despite making only one birdie in the final round, the 30-year-old from Northern Ireland was steady amid the stars of his generation and closed with a 3-over 74 to become the first European in 40 years to capture America's national championship.
He seized control after a shocking collapse by Dustin Johnson, then failed to get flustered by the three stars behind him, who have combined for 184 victories and 21 majors. All he had to do on the final hole was two-putt for par from 20 feet to join a distinguished list.
"To win at Pebble Beach, to join the names -- Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, Tiger Woods, me -- wow!" McDowell said. "I'm not quite sure if I belong in that list, but hey, I'm there now. It's a pretty amazing feeling."