Graeme McDowell has double Major Championship glory in his sights as he heads to St Andrews this week for the 150th anniversary of The Open Championship, a month after his stunning US Open victory at Pebble Beach.
The Northern Irishman became the first European to win a US Open since Tony Jacklin 40 years ago when he triumphed by one stroke in California, and another iconic links course beckons as he attempts to emulate Padraig Harrington by winning back-to-back Major Championships.
Harrington captured The Open Championship and then the US PGA Championship in 2008, and McDowell is confident he can repeat that feat over the historic Old Course.
“I think my links upbringing will stand me in good stead,” he said. “Links is in my blood, always. I had a couple of weeks of not doing a lot (after the US Open), but I’m going there with definite expectations of competing and playing well.
“It’s the same old me, same old routines and preparations for tournaments. I'm just trying to use what I did at Pebble as something that can give me belief, confidence and momentum. Just because I've achieved one of my big dreams, there's going to be a resetting process of my goals , and I certainly feel like I can deal with it well and move on and keep playing as well as I've been playing.”
McDowell is one of 14 European Tour Members in the world’s top 20 vying for golf’s oldest and most prestigious title, first played for in 1860. Lee Westwood, Europe’s reigning Number One and the current World Number Three, leads the way, with 2002 Open Champion Ernie Els, Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Rory McIlroy and Paul Casey making it six European Tour Members in the world’s top ten.
McDowell is just outside the top ten in 11th place and among the others in the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking are Justin Rose, who has won twice on the US PGA Tour in recent weeks, and last week’s champion Edoardo Molinari, whose victory in The Barclays Scottish Open lifted him into 19th place.
The fearsome competition in Scotland includes World Number One Tiger Woods, who captured his first Open title by eight shots at St Andrews in 2000 and by five strokes in 2005 after a compelling battle with home favourite Colin Montgomerie.
Woods, who claimed a third Open at Hoylake in 2006, has been lurking among the contenders in this year’s first two Majors, finishing tied fourth in the Masters Tournament and the US Open, and he will be wary of the threat of Phil Mickelson to his World Number One crown. Mickelson, who sealed an emotional victory at Augusta National in April, must finish fourth or higher to have an opportunity of usurping his countryman.
Another American, Stewart Cink, will be defending the title he won in dramatic fashion at Turnberry last year, overcoming a courageous effort by Tom Watson, but a host of Europeans will fancy their chances at St Andrews after a hugely successful first half of 2010.
One man who knows how to win an Open Championship is Harrington, who won in 2007 and 2008. He also boasts an excellent record at St Andrews, having won two Alfred Dunhill Links Championships at the Home of Golf in 2002 and 2006.
“The two times I won there were in October and that is different,” said the Irishman. "There are a few courses that make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck and St Andrews is an unbelievable place.
"Of course you would love to win The Open full stop but it would be special to win it at St Andrews.”
