When Graeme McDowell was heading for victory in 2010, the British press were able to return to the, “No British player has ever won since Jacklin’ theme. McDowell, though, had more recent history on his mind.
Ireland’s golfing spring had started when Padraig Harrington won three successive majors – two Opens and a US PGA – across 2007 and 2008. Harrington’s results had their effect on everyone in the Emerald Isle.
“It’s watching colleagues and friends and guys you play with week in week out doing things like that,” said McDowell. “It gives you belief.”
There was another interesting thread to all this overseas activity. Just as Els had watched Larry Nelson winning at Oakmont in 1983, so McDowell had seen everything of Els’ maiden major victory.
“I was only 14 or 15 at the time but I was a big Ernie Els fan when he won at Oakmont. I wanted the same Lynx clubs as he was using and the same Ashworth shirt that he was wearing.”
Intriguingly, Davies advanced the increased televising of the majors as something which would have helped the non-Americans’ cause. “I think Ernie probably did more than Gary Player in that regard,” she hazarded. “Great player that Gary was, golf fans couldn’t follow his progress in the majors as they could Ernie’s.”
