Pebble Beach, California, June 21 (IANS) Graeme McDowell held his nerve and game, even as the more experienced superstars and better-placed newcomers fell by the wayside at the US Open Sunday.
McDowell, who qualified for the US Open by sneaking into the top-50 of the world last month, stayed focused and two-putted from 20 feet to win by one over Gregory Havret, who before this week was ranked only 391st in the world.
McDowell made only one birdie in the final round and finished with a three-over 74 to become the first European since Tony Jacklin in 1970 at Hazeltine to win the US Open. And what’s more it became a 1-2 for Europe.
Left out in the wake of the unexpected top-two, were the likes of Ernie Els, whose earlier challenge ended in third place and Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson shared the fourth spot.
Dustin Johnson, who started the final round with a three-shot lead and the knowledge that he had won the last AT&T National Pro-Am at this same venue, collapsed. He parred the first and then triple bogeyed the second, double bogeyed the third and bogeyed the fourth to drop six shots in three holes. From six-under he was down to even par and by the time the day ended, he was five-over with an 11-over 82 for the final day.
McDowell even while confessing that he was yet to soak in the feeling of being a Major champion added that the US Open was always the Major he dreamt of.
‘To win at Pebble Beach, to join the names — Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, Tiger Woods, and… 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.’
McDowell also admitted to be an early Ernie Els fan – ‘I remember him from the time he won (a Major) at Oakmont’ – almost did not make it to Pebble Beach. And on Sunday McDowell beat him, too, after briefly sharing the lead with him in between.
McDowell seized his chances after the collapse by Johnson. With the Big three failing, he was left holding off Havret. Havret, a Frenchman who is No. 391 in the world, played his heart out, but his putter let him down at the end and he 72 and finished one shot behind.
‘No offense meant to Gregory, but when you have Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els there, you’re not expecting Gregory Havret to be the guy you’ve got to fend off,’ McDowell said.
McDowell’s lone birdie was an eight-foot putt on the fifth hole, and his final round was the highest score by a U.S. Open champion since Andy North in 1985.
‘I made three mental mistakes. The only thing it cost us was a chance to win the U.S. Open,’ Woods said.
Els held a share of the lead briefly on the front nine but lost out on the stretch of holes along the ocean. The bogey-double bogey-bogey ended his hopes of winning a US Open after a gap of 13 years. He closed with a 73 to finish alone in third.
Mickelson failed to better his five second places at US Open and also ended his chances of a second straight Major, following the Masters in April.
McDowell got into the U.S. Open by narrowly getting into the top-50 in the world at the deadline to avoid qualifying.
McDowell has five European Tour victories, most recently the Wales Open last month at the home course for the Ryder Cup in October. He is sure to be part of the European team now, moving up to No. 13 in the world.
For the time being, McDowell is simply savouring his first Major win and when he gets back to Dublin, he is hoping to catch a pint of Guinness at his favourite bar in Portrush with his buddies next week.
