The press conference: The champion reflects on his road to the title, on how he held his nerve and on where he goes from here
The meltdown
On the second and third holes, how did you handle what Dustin Johnson was going through? Was it difficult?
Graeme McDowell:It's always difficult to watch a guy do what he did. To watch him make triple (bogey) on two and go through what he went through on three, I felt sorry for him because we've all been there. We've all experienced that. It's not a lot of fun . . . The delay, it didn't really bother me too much. It gave me a little chance to collect my thoughts a little bit and really kind of calm myself down. I really enjoyed playing with him the last couple of days. He's a real top sportsman and a great, talented player. He handled himself really well, I thought.
The course set-up
You came in trailing by three shots. You shoot three over par and you walk away with the trophy. Could you ever have imagined a scenario like that? Are you surprised nobody was able to get under par in the last, I think, two hours of the day?
McDowell:I was surprised because I didn't think the golf course was set up as difficult as it has been, you know. I certainly didn't think it was a Sunday-at- US Open-set-up. I was expecting to see much more brutal pin positions. To say they had it set up for scoring would be an exaggeration. It was still tough, obviously, but some of the pin positions were quite accessible, especially in the front nine. And I bogeyed nine and 10, I looked up at the leaderboard and I was surprised to be two ahead, I really was.
And I was surprised that Gregory Havret was the guy closest to me. No disrespect to Gregory, he’s a great player, but when you have Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els obviously there, you’re not expecting Gregory Havret to be the guy you’ve got to fend off. But I was very happy to be in that position on the back nine. And when I saw that I really made myself knuckle down. I made some great swings coming in, I have to say. Obviously bogeying 14, that’s just a brute of a hole.
I really had a great chance on 13, and on 15 I thought I made that putt. Really good four on 16, and watched Gregory make his bogey on 17.
I had an awful decision on 17. I obviously felt there was a bit of help in that wind and hit a four-iron up in the air, and it got nailed by the wind, and made my bogey. And when he didn’t birdie 18, you know, it was nice to be able to cruise on there and make my five. I felt calm and under control and made some nice swings.
The 18th
Were you tempted to go for the 18th green in two?
McDowell:(On) 18, I hit a decent drive. Hit it kind of where I was aiming. And I was in between hybrid to go for the green, if need be. If I needed four to win, I was certainly going to have a go there. When Gregory didn't make a four, I laid it up with a nine-iron, and thankfully there were no dramas across the line . . . Just very proud of myself the way I handled myself this week, and I just can't believe I have "major champion" after my name from now on. It's a special feeling.
The venue
Describe your feelings of winning here at Pebble Beach, if that’s even more special?
McDowell:The US Open has always been a tournament – you know, if people asked me which major did I feel like my game is most suited to, I normally said the US Open, because I've always been pretty good off the tee, accuracy-wise. I've never really been the longest hitter in the world. But I've certainly put a bit of yardage on the last year.
I don’t think I’ve ever missed the cut in the US Open. The golf course has always kind of fitted my eye in some shape or form. I’ve just never really felt I had the short game to do it. I worked really hard on my short game the last couple of years, and came here early and really took my time on taking the golf course apart as far as the psychology to get around here.
I thought I executed my game plan really well every day, stayed patient most days. Thursday was probably my most impatient day. I felt like I felt a little frustrated out there. I promised myself I was going to stay calm and be tough over the weekend. I was proud of myself the way I stayed calm. To win at Pebble Beach, to join the names, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, Tiger Woods, me . . . wow! I’m not quite sure if I belong in that list, but, hey, I’m there now. It’s a pretty amazing feeling. I’d take a major championship anywhere on the planet, I didn’t really care. But, you know, to win the US Open here at Pebble Beach is a special feeling. I came here in 2001, I was a college player over in Birmingham in Alabama, and we were playing a golf tournament locally, and we came here to have a look around. We were in awe of the place, and thinking, wow. It reminded me of home quite a lot, the coastline and the ocean and just the beauty of it all.
The scenery here at Pebble, it’s a great way of taking your mind off what was going on. Anytime I felt nervous or felt myself getting ahead of myself I just had a look around and just took in the scenery and really just tried to use that to bring me back into the present.
The self-belief
Did you believe your time had come to win a major?
McDowell:I've served my apprenticeship to be here right now. Did I think I was ready to win a major? I don't know. Maybe deep down I did think I was ready. I've put myself in position a few times, and I've learned a lot about myself.
The Da, and the future
Was there something special winning on Father’s Day. And secondly, after you’ve won this, is it going to be more on the US PGA Tour, or are you going to play the European Tour?
McDowell:My father (Kenny) said, "there's only one thing I want for Father's Day", and I wasn't quite sure whether I was going to be able to deliver that. It was a tough present to come up with, but there you go. It's been special to have him here this week, to watch me win here on Father's Day. It was really cool to have him come out on the green and give me a hug. He's an emotional guy. He's really enjoyed it.
Am I going to play a bit more in the States next year? That was my plan, my plan was to get my PGA Tour card this year, and play a little bit more golf out here. I’ve played quite a lot out here this season, I looked at the FedExCup, et cetera, et cetera, and not being a Ryder Cup year next year, my plan was to come over and play a little bit more.
The European Tour is my home, my home tour, and I’m not going to turn my back on there. I’m going to remain a loyal member of the European Tour and play my schedule, which is always something I’ve aimed to do. I think the great thing about golfers in Europe is we play all over the world, and I think we’re better players and better people because of that. I’ll continue to be a worldwide player.
The British Open
How do you feel about links golf at St Andrews, especially with this victory under your belt?
McDowell:St Andrews, I gave it a run in 2005, finished 11th. To go there as US Open champion and with an opportunity to win another major is going to be cool. But majors are tough to win, there's no doubt about it. I still can't believe that I'm sitting here a champion, there are so many great players in the world and golf courses are set up so difficult nowadays. I'll be looking forward to St Andrews immensely. It's a golf course I know really well. It's all about course knowledge and local knowledge. At St Andrews you've got to know every bump and hump and roll in the greens.
There’s no doubt I’ll take an amazing amount of confidence from this week. To know that I have the ability to get one of these across the line, especially to know that I have the peace of mind to feel as calm and as confident as I did coming down the stretch.
The putting
Over the 72 holes, what parts of your game would you attribute the win to?
McDowell:I generally drove the ball pretty well. I felt like I found most fairways. And coming into these greens, you've got to be coming out of the short grass, simple as that. You've got to be controlling your spin. You've got to be controlling your flight. There's no doubt I putted better. I putted good this week. I think I'm leading greens in regulation in the European Tour.
I knew I had the long game to do it. My putter has been a little cold this season. I’ve historically been a good putter, especially from short range. And that really hasn’t been my strength this season. Madrid, a few weeks back, I kind of changed my set-up a little bit, I went more orthodox on my set-up, got a little more mechanically correct, (and since then) my stroke has been solid.
But I don’t think I was lining the putter up well. And, between my caddie – he really is my rock, he has been for four years. I attribute a big part of this win to the help he has given me over the last four years. He really beats me into shape. It was kind of a little bit of his advice on the greens in Madrid a few weeks ago that has really turned my putting around.
The Big Easy
Before you were a professional golfer, what US Open were you keenly aware of? What event stands out in your memory?
McDowell:You know, one of the first ones I remember, I was a big Ernie Els fan in the '90s, when he won the US Open. What was his first one? Oakmont. Yeah. That was probably the one I remember, because I wanted the Lynx golf clubs he had. I wanted the Ashworth shirt that he was wearing.
So I was probably 14, 15, and starting to realise that maybe I wanted to be a competitive golfer. And I remember that Open quite well. And his win at Congressional as well. I don’t know why Ernie always sticks out in my mind when I think of watching the US Open.
The Ryder Cup
This should solidify your spot on the Ryder Cup team. Can you talk about what that means to you?
McDowell:I really desperately wanted to be on this Ryder Cup team in October. I realised that it was going to be an unbelievably good team, with so many young, talented players coming through Europe right now. This is going to be a seriously, heavily contested team. I firmly believe we've got the team to win the trophy back. Valhalla a couple of years ago was an amazing experience for me. Disappointed to be in the losing side. I dreamt of being on the winning side and enjoying that experience. Ryder Cups are very special to me. Major championships and Ryder Cups are certainly things that are going to define my career. And to be part of the team in Wales is something I'm looking forward to, really, really looking forward to.
