Graeme McDowell, a 23-year-old Ulsterman and a professional for only six weeks, celebrated his maiden victory on the European Tour when he won the Scandinavian Masters in Stockholm yesterday. From Gordon Richardson in Stockholm
He sneaked home by a stroke from his playing partner Trevor Immelman when the South African nervously bogeyed the 18th after McDowell played the shot of a lifetime. Both returned rounds of 67, with McDowell picking up a prize of €316,660 and an even more precious PGA European Tour card.
It was the stuff of fairy tales with the Irishman wobbling, as he might well have done in only his fourth professional event, coming down the home straight, but displaying fighting qualities of the highest order to keep the pack at bay.
When he could only play out sideways from a bunker at the 18th it looked odds-on that the 22-year-old Immelman would snatch his first big title. But McDowell's shot was perfect, finishing within two inches of where it landed in the third round, but this time closer to the hole.
"It was déjà vu and, as I stood there after chipping out, I thought it was Trevor's to lose. It was still my turn to play, though, and I coaxed an eight iron into two feet. It was a great thrill. Being the first among guys like Nick Dougherty, Luke Donald and the others I played with when we won the Walker Cup last year, to win a pro title is a terrific thrill."
A two at the fourth and an eagle three from 30 feet at the fifth, an uncanny action-replay of his Saturday effort, nudged the young man, who opened on Thursday with a record 64, two shots clear, but, by the 10th, his advantage over Immelman and Sweden's Niclas Fasth, due to make his Ryder Cup debut next month, was a single stroke.
McDowell, top collegiate golfer in his last term at the University of Birmingham, Alabama, was in for a rollercoaster ride on the back nine. But the centre-shafted Odyssey putter Darren Clarke gave him a fortnight ago was to prove the key as he rolled in crucial putt after crucial putt.
"Because my college record was better than Tiger Woods' in his last year people have been comparing me to him which is embarrassing, because my amateur record is nowhere near as good as his," McDowell said. "I knew I had a lot to prove and Darren's putter was the key. The first time I used it in a challenge tour event last week I shot 66. I told him on the phone yesterday he's not getting it back.
"When Darren won his first big title he phoned up and ordered drinks all round at our club, Rathmore in Portrush, and I've just done the same."
McDowell holed from 10 feet to save par at the 10th, six feet to birdie the 11th and five feet to avoid a double bogey after a miscue from a bunker at the 13th. In went an eight-footer for an instant birdie response at the 14th and he sunk a 15-footer for a two at the 16th after coming a cropper at the 15th.
Immelman ran his chip through the green at the long 17th, but the South African saved par and McDowell fluffed his eagle chip and ended up also taking five.
So to the last with the Ulsterman tapping in his seventh single putt in nine holes. The man who teed off 655th in the world is on his way.
Guardian Service
