Congrats Mr. McDowell - If you can keep your head when all about you are losing their

[IrishGolfer]

A big congrats to GMac. Some win, a bit of a shock. This guy lives about 3 miles from my house. You often see him in town, really popular, nice guy. Sure a little cocky but in a good way. He played in a charity event at our club last year, supplied a bunch of custom Callaway hats, prizes, auction items, was around all day for photos and autographs etc. Charity Day

I actually met and spoke to him when he was only 18, after his first year at Alabama. He was just back from the US and was standing on the edge of the practice ground in Portrush, speaking to a mutual friend.

I have to say that winning yesterday was a surprise, especially when the big three were all chasing him. But he held his nerve and got the job done. Not spectacular but no major mistakes either. A huge lesson to all of us golfers there.

The thing that impresses me most about him is that he has got better and better as time has gone on. He has not burst onto the scene a la McIlroy. He has made steady progress on the rankings, broke into top 100, top 50 etc. As he said in his post round interview, he has learned his apprenticeship, put the time in and was ready for it.

He is also an excellent front runner, I can’t remember him choking once he has been in position to win. His confidence walking down the 18th was fantastic. He knew he needed a five. After ripping a drive he could have easily gone for the green. What did he do? 9 iron, sand wedge, 2 putt, thanks very much. I guarantee that Phail would have showboated it and taken that shot on.

It will change his life for sure, but I hope he doesn’t loose his grounding the same way he has lost his accent. That mid-Atlantic twang is embarrassing.

And once and for all it is pronounced Mc”Doe-al” (rhymes with toe) NOT Mc”Dow-al”. (rhymes with cow)!!!

 

[ejdahl21]

Re: Congrats Mr. McDowell - If you can keep your head when all about you are losing t

IG. I thought of you right away when he won yesterday. Cool to able to say, "Hey you know that guy that won the US Open. Yeah lives down the street. Good guy." That's how I feel rooting for the Wisconsin players. Mark Wilson went to the same high school I did, although a few years after me. Congrats to you, your country and to "Mc Doe al".

By the way, since he went to Alabama shouldn't it be pronounced "Mc Doe y'all" ?

 

[BigJim13]

Re: Congrats Mr. McDowell - If you can keep your head when all about you are losing t

A big congrats to GMac. Some win, a bit of a shock. This guy lives about 3 miles from my house. You often see him in town, really popular, nice guy. Sure a little cocky but in a good way. He played in a charity event at our club last year, supplied a bunch of custom Callaway hats, prizes, auction items, was around all day for photos and autographs etc. Charity Day

I actually met and spoke to him when he was only 18, after his first year at Alabama. He was just back from the US and was standing on the edge of the practice ground in Portrush, speaking to a mutual friend.

I have to say that winning yesterday was a surprise, especially when the big three were all chasing him. But he held his nerve and got the job done. Not spectacular but no major mistakes either. A huge lesson to all of us golfers there.

The thing that impresses me most about him is that he has got better and better as time has gone on. He has not burst onto the scene a la McIlroy. He has made steady progress on the rankings, broke into top 100, top 50 etc. As he said in his post round interview, he has learned his apprenticeship, put the time in and was ready for it.

He is also an excellent front runner, I can’t remember him choking once he has been in position to win. His confidence walking down the 18th was fantastic. He knew he needed a five. After ripping a drive he could have easily gone for the green. What did he do? 9 iron, sand wedge, 2 putt, thanks very much. I guarantee that Phail would have showboated it and taken that shot on.

It will change his life for sure, but I hope he doesn’t loose his grounding the same way he has lost his accent. That mid-Atlantic twang is embarrassing.

And once and for all it is pronounced Mc”Doe-al” (rhymes with toe) NOT Mc”Dow-al”. (rhymes with cow)!!!

I was very impressed with him yesterday. We don't hear much about guys who play mainly on the euro tour or guys like him in general. it just goes to show you how deep the PGA Tour is, I think we tend to forget that when all we hear is Tiger, Phil, Ernie etc. Even when Dusting Johnson was smoking it 40 yds by him, he didn't flinch, just kept playing his game.

Johnny Miller said at least twice yesterday that he was getting lucky by having all the big guns dropping shots around him. Miller made it sound like Tiger, Phil or Ernie lost it rather than McDowell winning it. I disagree. They all played the same course, he just played it better than anybody else yesterday. Very impressive.

 

[warbirdlover]

Re: Congrats Mr. McDowell - If you can keep your head when all about you are losing t

He was cool as a cucumber the whole tourney and I think he's going to be a factor in many more in the future. The man can sure stripe a driver down the middle unlike some of the more popular players who blast it all over the place and then have to make miraculous recovery shots.

 

[VtDivot]

Re: Congrats Mr. McDowell - If you can keep your head when all about you are losing t

He was cool as a cucumber the whole tourney and I think he's going to be a factor in many more in the future.

I'll take that bet.

My guess is we'll never hear from this guy again.

 

[IrishGolfer]

Re: Congrats Mr. McDowell - If you can keep your head when all about you are losing t

VT. I see where you are coming from, the US Open is littered with guys that faded fast into obscurity. Simpson, North, Jones, Glover etc. Not sure why, as generally the harder the course is the better the player should be that wins it. It was interesting to see Woods, Els, Michelson all fall off the California coastline when the pressure mounted on Sunday. All had a chance right up until thee last few holes.

I will however take the bet about McDowell. He has won in Europe several times, also in Korea. He has steadily improved each year he has been on tour, not an up and down sort of guy. btw He had a better collegiate record than Woods, in 2002, he won the Haskins Award for most outstanding collegiate golfer in the United States. He was responsible for lowering the scoring average of Tiger Woods and won on six occasions that season.

I'm not sure if I saw him bagging a major so soon. I honestly thought that McIlroy would be the next winner of a major between the two. But I do see him lasting the distance, bagging more US Tour wins. And I see him being a factor at St. Andrews in July. He is a links playa! But only time and the history books will tell.

Oh, and an interesting stat for Fisher. Last few years of majors: Ireland 4, Tiger 2!

 

[Wayneo]

Re: Congrats Mr. McDowell - If you can keep your head when all about you are losing t

Oh, and an interesting stat for Fisher. Last few years of majors: Ireland 4, Tiger 2!

You had to post that stat? You must know it's gonna wind him up.

Rory let me down again. I have a standing bet on all majors with a co-worker. Rory's final standing against Kenny Perry's final. I've lost twice this year, I just can't wait for him to come around.