Graeme McDowell

Height: 5 ft. 10 in 

Weight: 160 lbs 

Birthday: 07/30/1979

College:  University of Alabama

Turned Pro: 2002 

Birthplace: Portrush, Northern Ireland

Country: Northern Ireland

Sponsor: Srixon

After having a very good career as an amateur both in his native Ireland and the United States, McDowell turned pro in 2002. In what was just his fourth start on the European Tour, the Irishman won the Scandinavian Masters, thereby securing a two year exemption and his first pro win. He tried to play both the PGA and European Tour for a couple of years but struggled to keep his US card despite some impressive finishes. In 2006, he won his second European Tour event and went on to finish 6th on the money list. 2008 was a good season for the Irishman as he won twice on the European Tour and also made his Ryder Cup debut. Despite winning 2.5 points out four matches, Europe lost to the United States at Valhalla.

With five European Tour wins to his name by the time he arrived at Pebble Beach for the 2010 US Open, McDowell topped them all. He won his first Major Championship that week, becoming the first Northern Irishman to win a Major since 1947 and also the first European to win the US Open in 40 years.  He won by one stroke over Frenchman, Gregory Havret. He won twice more, including at Tiger Woods’ event, the Chevron World Challenge. McDowell topped off a career season when he sank the winning put at that year’s Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

Since his US Open win, McDowell has become a very established player at big tournaments. He finished runner-up at the 2012 US Open and registered top twelve finishes in all the other Majors that season. He won Tiger’s tournament again in 2012 and currently has ten European Tour wins. His second PGA Tour win came in 2013 after he defeated Webb Simpson in a play-off at the RBC Heritage. He made his fourth appearance in the Ryder Cup in 2014 at Gleneagles.