Graeme McDowell ready to fall in love with the game again

Little more than a year after admitting he almost quit the game after losing his “desire and urge to practice”, Graeme McDowell is prepared to grind for a second US Open for the pure joy of winning alone.

Forget the €20 million plus he’s won on the golf course alone since he turned professional, the Ryder Cup triumphs, the magical putts and the $1.8m the winner will take home from Oakmont.

Like anyone who has done a job for a long time, McDowell has lost that shiny innocence of youth and become a mini corporation with multiple responsibilities.