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McDowell and Oosthuizen gunning for second Major
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McDowell and Oosthuizen gunning for second Major

Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen may both have won their first Major Championship this year, but both are eager to add a second at Whistling Straits when the US PGA Championship begins this week.

Graeme McDowell

McDowell held his nerve at Pebble Beach to capture the US Open Championship, and has since seen South African Oosthuizen make it back to back Major successes for European Tour Members at The Open Championship.

But the Northern Irishman, who admits St Andrews probably came too soon after his success in California, believes he is now ready to use his Major-winning status to his advantage.

"You get recognition from the crowds - it's the US Open Champion and I'm like, yeah, I guess I am," said The Ryder Cup star. "I don't think that's ever going to get old.

"Do players look at me differently now? I don't think so. The confidence within myself that I gained from Pebble is probably just more the belief that I can do it down the stretch on a Sunday afternoon at a Major.

"We all talk Sunday afternoon at a Major, Sunday afternoon at a Major, in contention, but until you actually get there, you don't know what it's all about.

"I guess I have a lot of confidence and belief in myself that I can hit the shots under pressure and that my game can stand up to the ultimate pressure.

"Regards of how people perceive me and how my peers perceive me and crowds and stuff, I don't know, it's very difficult to kind of quantify that I suppose. It feels good, though, no doubt about it."

McDowell made no secret of his elaborate celebrations after winning the US Open Championship, but stressed that he is now ready to be competitive again after failing to hit top gear on his return to Europe.

"The first five weeks, like I said, Scottish Open and British Open were very difficult for me to deal with," he added. "I wasn't ready to play golf. Didn't really feel like myself, and especially the first round of The Open, I didn't feel myself at all.

"There's no doubt my game feels good, though. I felt good last week and I feel ready to go this week. I certainly believe that I've got the game and the patience and the know how to get around a golf course like this and the Major setups. The confidence, it's difficult to put it into words I suppose."

South African Oosthuizen stunned onlookers as he maintained his composure to coast to a seven shot victory at The Open Championship.

His success meant six of the last eight Majors have gone to first-time winners, and the 27 year old admits that compatriot Trevor Immelman's Masters Tournament win in 2008 inspired him.

"Anyone that tees off in any of these events can win it," he said. "You got such strong fields every week and it's not just three or four guys that stand out, it's probably 50 guys that stand out.

"So definitely when Trevor won the Masters, knowing Trevor, playing with him a bit and you see that you can do it. So it definitely helped me a lot in any tournament.

"I just think it's getting to a stage where you can have, in Majors, you can have different winners all the time."

Another player who knows how to win Majors is Padraig Harrington, and the Irishman believes he is finding form at just the right time.

The three-time Major winner finished strongly at last week’s World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational to record a top ten finish.

“I’ve had a strange year, more top tens than I've had in my life, but no win, and didn't play very well in the Majors,” he said.

“It's been an interesting year, I believe the form is there.  It could happen any week, I just have to be patient and let it happen.”

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