At St. Andrews, McDowell wants to build on U.S. Open success

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland - Does it really get any better for someone from these isles to come to the British Open having just won the previous major?

Welcome to Graeme McDowell's week.

"I mean, obviously coming here as the U.S. Open champion is a special feeling," said the product of Northern Ireland, who held off Frenchman Gregory Havret by a shot at Pebble Beach last month. "Coming here to St. Andrews, a venue that all the players love, a golf course which we love, I think it's important that I remain the same guy, that I keep doing the things I've done to get me to this position. Obviously there's a lot more attention on me, from just everyone, and that's kind of the hard part to deal with. But it's great. I wouldn't change it for the world. Not a thing."

Because getting that first major title can change everything.

"You know, the response that I've had, via e-mail, voicemail, text, website, just all forms of communications we have in this 21st century, just from all kinds of players, stuff like that, it's just been amazing," McDowell said. "Frank Nobilo asked for my number so he could give it to Greg Norman so he could give me a shout. Stuff I've had from legends of the past, current champions, all the players coming up to me from both sides of the Atlantic just really happy for me, just using words like 'unbelievable' and 'amazing,' asking me has it sunk in yet, and it really hasn't.

"It's been a surreal few weeks. I still kind of really haven't come to terms with it, and I hope I never do. When you realize one of your dreams, I guess it's a pretty surreal feeling. I feel privileged to have the opportunity . . . to be able to enjoy my first major championship and all that goes with it.

"It's been a really cool experience so far."

But when they tee off tomorrow, he's just going to be another guy trying to beat the field again. He'll just have a lot more eyes focused on him. You think he'll get a lot of closeups on the BBC?

"In the short term, there's not much I can do about it except try and play my own game," McDowell said. "I certainly hope I can take confidence and belief away from Pebble Beach. I'm a 30-year-old guy. I feel like I have my best days ahead of me. So I'll be making sure I don't fall into any of the traps [of sudden fame]. It's important that I do that. It's difficult to put Pebble Beach behind me, and I don't want to put it behind me, because I'm enjoying every second of it. I've got to look forward to the rest of the season. I've got some big goals I want to achieve.

"I'm here this week. I tried to deal with a lot of stuff last week [at the Scottish Open, where he tied for 21st in his first post-Open appearance] and get that out of the way and I'm really trying to free my week up and play golf."

It's one of those dilemmas that most everyone else in the field would take on, no questions asked.

His best finish in six previous British Opens was a tie for 11th in 2005, right here. Last July he was 34th at Turnberry.

"I believe there will be a lot of guys out there this week that will have watched me at Pebble and believe they can win a major sooner rather than later," McDowell said. "It's great to see that sort of inspiration that the likes of me winning at Pebble can bring to your friends and your colleagues, and British and Irish golfers in general. It's great to be able to have a part of a purple patch of European golf right now. There's no doubt there's definitely a cyclical effect to it. I'm comfortable with that.

"I certainly hope that Pebble is not my last major."

The early weather forecast isn't exactly rosy. Which would seem to give a bloke from Portrush a bit of an edge, right?

"It's funny, when the wind blows and it starts raining people always say to me, geez, you must love this," McDowell said. "I hate it the same as everyone else does. We always joke around that they should try and play the British Open in the summer some year. I've got all kinds of wet gear and cashmere and woolly hats and mittens and we're ready for anything the course is going to throw at us."

And at the newest member of the fraternity. *