McDowell is back in business

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  • July 6, 2010

US Open winner Graeme McDowell has declared he is back in business after a two-week blow-out celebrating his big win.

US Open winner Graeme McDowell has declared he is back in business after a two-week blow-out celebrating his big win.
McDowell also revealed that Prime Minister David Cameron sent him a hand-written note congratulating him on his triumph at Pebble Beach.
On his return to action at the JP McManus Pro-Am at Limerick’s Adare Castle, the 30-year-old admitted doing little other than partying since securing his first major championship.
Proudly sitting next to the US Open trophy, he joked it had already been involved in a few scrapes.
“There’s been a few worrying moments,” McDowell said. “It’s been in a few bars and restaurants in the small hours of the morning, but I guess I always comfort myself with the fact that it has been to some parties over the years.
“I’d say she could tell a few good stories at this stage.”
McDowell said he had not really practised during the last two weeks, bar a game with fellow top Northern Ireland professional Rory McIlroy at Royal County Down and a game with his father and brother at his home club in Rathmore.
He said he was taking time out to enjoy a few pints of Guinness and a few glasses of wine as he acclimatised to being “less anonymous” than he used to be.
But he insisted his “business head” was now firmly screwed on as he prepared for this week’s Scottish Open at Loch Lomond and then the Open at St Andrews.
“It honestly feels like two months ago when I holed that winning putt at Pebble Beach,” he said. “You’ve got to enjoy it, but at some point you’ve got to get the business head back on.
“That process began this morning.”
McDowell said he was overwhelmed by messages of congratulations, including one from Downing Street in which Mr Cameron asked if he would help him improve his game.
Messages from double US Open champion Ernie Els and Northern Ireland actor James Nesbitt were also among those still being sifted through by his father Kenny.
JP McManus and his wife Noreen presented McDowell with a special glass memento to mark his becoming the first European to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970.

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