McDowell’s open door to future

A YEAR on from his Pebble Beach victory, Graeme McDowell is ready to start looking forward again — with this week’s US Open title defence marking the start of the rest of his career.

Speaking at his final media conference before he tees off tomorrow at Congressional Country Club, the 31-year-old from Portrush, who spent most of December collecting awards for his heroics of 2010, declared that the time for reminiscing was over.

McDowell, as befits his status, will tee off in a marquee group at Congressional alongside Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and US Amateur champion Peter Uihlein but feels the pressure is off him in a tournament being viewed as wide open.