McDowell masters the Tour seven weeks after turning pro

GRAEME McDOWELL, playing only his fourth European Tour event, claimed a remarkable victory in the Volvo Scandinavian Masters in Stockholm.

The Irishman carded a closing round of 67 at Kungsangen, the course he has recently signed a contract to represent and viewed for the first time on Wednesday, for a 14 under total of 270.

A brilliant par at the 18th gave him a one-shot victory over playing partner Trevor Immelman of South Africa, the £200,000 first prize and a valuable two-year tour exemption.

Former USPGA champion Jeff Sluman and Norwegian Henrik Bjornstad were a shot further back, Sluman bogeying the last when a birdie would have forced a play-off.

''I've never been happier,'' said McDowell, who used a putter given to him by Darren Clarke to single putt 12 greens in an amazing final round. ''To win in the fashion I did is an incredible feeling.

''I never dreamt I would do this well in my first six or seven weeks.

''I'm just so excited about what it means for me in the short term. I don't have to go to the qualifying school, I don't need any more invites and I've got somewhere to play for the next two years.''

McDowell spent most of his 23rd birthday on Tuesday waiting for his delayed flight from Manchester to Stockholm, and only had time for nine holes of practice at Kungsangen on Wednesday.

But he opened impressively, firing a course record 64 in the first round which was subsequently beaten by Per Ulrik Johansson's third round 63.

''I didn't think while I was sat in the airport I'd be sat here with the trophy now,'' added McDowell, who splashed out for a free bar for his friends watching at Rathmore Golf Club part of the Portrush club and intends to buy his mother Marian a house with his winnings.

''It's been one of those weeks. Things really seemed to go my way. I feel I have not really played well but my short game has been much sharper, that's been the difference.

''If Darren asks for his putter back it will be a very definite 'No'.''

McDowell, who bettered Tiger Woods' collegiate scoring average while winning nine events during three years at the University of Alabama, and helped Great Britain and Ireland retain the Walker Cup last year, began the day in a tie for the lead with Sluman and Fasth.

For the second day running he birdied the fourth and then eagled the fifth to move into a two-shot lead, and after bogeying the sixth picked up shots at the 10th and 12th to stay in front.

A bogey at the 13th then dropped him back into a four-way tie for the lead, but a birdie from eight feet restored his advantage.

The real drama was only just about to begin however. His drive to the reachable 295-yard par four 15th finished under the lip of a greenside bunker, but his second shot was a dreaded shank which found the lake surrounding the green.

''I was in a state of shock, it all happened so quickly,'' added McDowell. ''I was going to drop the ball in the bunker but my caddie calmed me down and told me we could drop near where it had gone in the water.''

From there McDowell got up and down to salvage a bogey and then held himself together superbly to birdie the next and get back on level terms with Immelman. ''I made a great putt on the 16th and forgot all about the 15th.''

Both players missed good opportunities to birdie the 17th before Immelman appeared to have the upper hand on the last when McDowell's drive finished under the lip of a fairway bunker, the 23-year-old having to splash out almost sideways.

''It was a case of deja vu, a carbon copy of what happened on Saturday,'' said McDowell who bogeyed the hole in the third round. ''I thought, 'Oh no, here we go again. But I had a good feel where the flag was and hit a great eight iron to two feet.

''Every boy on the putting green dreams of having a putt like that to win a tournament and it was probably the highlight of my life.''

Immelman's approach had flown over the back of the green and after chipping to eight feet the 22-year-old saw his par putt catch the edge of the hole and spin out.

''I thought I was a little unlucky on the last,'' said Immelman who also finished second in the French Open earlier this season. ''I thought I hit the perfect drive but it ran through the fairway into the worst lie of the day. I hit a pretty good chip and extremely good putt but it went the wrong way on me."

McDowell's victory was one of the quickest ever in tour history.

Australian Jarrod Moseley won his first European Tour event at the Heineken Classic in Perth 18 months after turning professional, but perhaps the most relevant comparison is with Sergio Garcia, who won the Irish Open on his sixth start as a professional in 1999.