The Open: Graeme McDowell has taste for more major success

GRAEME McDowell was last night relishing the opportunity to place pressure on Adam Scott as he eyes a second major title. It is familiar territory for the Northern Irishman, who as recently as last month competed in the final group at the US Open. On that occasion he failed to secure another significant triumph, Webb Simpson coming through the pack to claim both the trophy and the Nicklaus medal.

However, McDowell does know how to flourish in such high-octane situations. In 2010 he won his first major, picking up the US Open title at Pebble Beach and holding off challenges from the likes of Ernie Els, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Both Els and Woods are in the hunt today, but it is playing partner Adam Scott who is in McDowell’s sights. Despite the 32-year-old’s long-time promise, the Australian has never won a major title. Although McDowell has four shots to make up after his round of 67 yesterday, which left him on seven under par for the tournamemt, he believes he could benefit from his experiences at both Pebble Beach and last month at the Olympic club, when both he and Jim Furyk learned that leading on the morning of the final round at a major is the toughest of all testing challenges in golf.

McDowell knows his hopes rest on Scott proving uncomfortable in the position of leader. Though the Australian is a laid-back character, his nerve will be severely tested by the knowledge that the popular McDowell is by his side today. And then there is the small matter of Tiger Woods in the group behind.

“I am sure myself and Adam will be experiencing slightly different emotions tomorrow,” he said. “But it will all boil down to the same thing. It will all boil down to pressure. It will boil down to being scared, and the thought of failing rather than winning. I can’t really relate to what Adam is feeling because he’s a hell of a player and he has been a hell of a player for a long time. He’s got the unfortunate burden of never having won a major championship.”

McDowell admitted that they will both be falling prey to nerves on the first tee. But the Northern Irishman at least knows he has nothing to lose. “When it comes to the closing it out tomorrow evening, that will be a different scenario, no doubt about it,” he said. “I just need to get as close as I can coming down the stretch tomorrow.”

It is the fulfillment of a wish just to be in contention at this stage. McDowell has always been very aware of the privileged life he leads, and he is grateful for his career having thrown up yet another moment to cherish.

“Since I was a young boy I dreamed of coming down the last fairway on a Sunday afternoon in the last group of the Open championship,” he said. “And I can draw on my experiences at the Olympic Club a few weeks ago, in the last group of the US Open.

“So this is special for me – to be in the last group on a Sunday afternoon in back-to-back major championships. I talked about it earlier this week. I can’t expect to come here and win this week, but what I can expect to do is compete if I do the right things.”

McDowell has also been buoyed by a series of supporting tweets from compatriot Darren Clarke, the reigning Open champion. The latest urged: ‘G’wan G-Mac!’ McDowell also revealed that he has been visualising what it might be like to win the Claret Jug, and what he might put in it should the ancient trophy ever become a possession of his.

“I replied to a tweet from Darren at the end of last week,” he said. “He was getting a few snaps and family portraits done with the Claret Jug. Some of the photos were pretty cool. I said to him: ‘I have a funny feeling that we’ll maybe be bringing that Claret Jug back to Northern Ireland next week’. I was talking really about the opportunities that myself, him, Rory [McIlroy] and Michael Hoey have. I was talking about ourselves as a whole having the opportunity to bring the trophy back. And I guess it would be fairly prophetic if I happened to get the job done tomorrow evening.

“There is no doubt that Darren will be an inspiration and someone who I will think about a little bit tomorrow. But I can’t let the emotions get ahead of me. I’ve got to stay in the present.”

He did admit to having let his imagination run away with itself on occasion. “We all read books about how powerful the brain is, and if you feed the brain with good thoughts and good images then it is fairly good at delivering,” he said. “I am probably not the only man in this field who have thought about picking the Claret Jug up, and a few of the guys have had the opportunity to actually do it a few times. I can pretty much imagine what it would feel like. I’ve already thought about the various liquids that I’d like to put in there and what they might taste like out of the Claret Cup.”

McDowell’s 67 yesterday was the best round of the day and included five birdies to go along with two bogeys. He collected three birdies in the final six holes to help whip up the atmosphere and leave the competition delicately poised. McDowell called the course a “sleeping giant” and wondered whether Scott’s four-shot lead might be “insurmountable” if the weather remains as benign as it was yesterday.

“I guess it will be in Adam’s hands tomorrow if the conditions are as straightforward as they have been in the last few days,” he said. “Throw a bit of wind across the course like they are forecasting, then he will have to work a lot harder and he will have to go and win it. He’s going to have to win it anyway, for sure. But perhaps we need a bit of wind to make the job a little easier for the chasers.”