McDowell: This is just the start

Graeme McDowell hugged the US Open trophy tightly after landing his first major title in California last night – and toasted the start of his career.

Two weeks after winning the Celtic Manor Welsh Open, the 30-year-old from Portrush, Northern Ireland was the victor of a last-round war of attrition at Pebble Beach Golf Links, defeating France’s Gregory Havret by one stroke at level par and surviving the rigorous challenge of a US Open set-up better than fellow contenders including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els.