I can’t believe I’m a major champion

Graeme McDowell reflects on his incredible US Open victory at Pebble Beach

Can you give some thoughts on winning the championship and what you’re feeling right now?

It’s a pretty surreal feeling right now, I have to say. It hasn’t really sunk in. I don’t think I’ve put this thing down since they gave it to me. It was a good day. I really stuck to my plan, which was stick to my game plan, stay patient, stay calm and really put some nice calm swings on it and not really get sucked in by what the rest of the guys were doing. I did that for about ten holes. I just can’t believe I have ‘major champion’ after my name from now on. It’s a special feeling.

Did you feel like the US Open was the major you were most likely to win?

If people asked me which major I felt 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 don’t think I’ve ever missed the cut in the US Open, either. 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 today. To win at Pebble Beach, to join the names, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, Tiger Woods… wow! I’m not quite sure if I belong in that list, but, hey, I’m there now. It’s a pretty amazing feeling.

What does it mean to win at Pebble Beach?

It is a special feeling. I came in 2001 when I was a college player over in Birmingham in Alabama. We were playing a golf tournament locally and we came here to have a look around. We were in awe of the place. It reminded me of home quite a lot, the coastline and the ocean and just the beauty of it all. Yes, it’s a special feeling. It was great. 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. It’s just a special place to play golf.

How did you feel playing alongside Dustin Johnson who struggled so badly?

Yeah, I mean it’s always difficult to watch a guy do what he did. To watch him make triple 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. I said yesterday that if the Dustin Johnson that played on Saturday showed up today he was going to be tough to handle. And I felt sorry for him the way he started. Like I said, we’ve all been there.

Can you discuss the scenes at the end with your father joining you on the green?

My father said there’s only one thing he wanted 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. There was a point during the season I wasn’t sure I was going to be here. He was excited to come here this week. And I think it’s only the second time he saw me win. I don’t know if he’s running around here somewhere. He watched me win at Loch Lomond. This is kind of special 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 was emotional before the round today. He’s been emotional all week. He’s really enjoyed it. I’m about the only one that’s not really showing any emotion right now. It hasn’t really sunk in. It hasn’t really hit me yet. I work so hard at being calmed and disciplined out there today that I’m still feeling a little too calm right now. I need to get a beer in my hand or something!

What will the celebrations be like back home just now?

What time is it back in the UK right now? Ten to four in the morning? If anyone is partying right now, fair play to them. I think I might catch them all up with beer next weekend. Harbor Bar, Portrush, pint of Guinness, I think there will be a few of those in my future.

This should certainly help cement your place on this year’s Ryder Cup team.What would that mean to you?

I really desperately want 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. 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 really, really looking forward to.

Bryce Ritchie is the Editor of bunkered and, in addition to leading on content and strategy, oversees all aspects of the brand. The first full-time journalist employed by bunkered, he joined the company in 2001 and has been editor since 2009. A member of Balfron Golfing Society, he currently plays off nine and once got a lesson from Justin Thomas’ dad.

Editor of bunkered