The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Graeme McDowell Named ASWA Professional Athlete of the Year
6/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
June 12, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Former UAB men's golfer Graeme McDowell is coming off a sensational 2010 campaign, highlighted when he became the first European in 40 years to capture the prestigious U.S. Open title, winning at Pebble Beach.
McDowell followed that win with a scintillating performance at the Ryder Cup matches in Wales, leading the European team to a one-point victory.
He capped the year by staring down Tiger Woods at Tiger's own tournament -- the Chevron World Championship -- and beating the host in a playoff with a pair of clutch putts.
For those accomplishments, McDowell has been selected as the Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) Professional Athlete of the Year. McDowell is the first Blazer to earn the prestigious award. It also marks the second consecutive golfer to win the honor, following 2009 British Open champ Stewart Cink, who grew up in Florence and has six tour victories to his credit.
According to UAB head coach Alan Kaufman, it was through happenstance that McDowell came to UAB.
"We had a player from Ireland on our team and I asked him if he knew any other players who might want to play for us," Kaufman recalled. "He gave me two names. The first guy I called had already committed to Toledo. Graeme was the second one I called. If the other guy hadn't gone to Toledo, Graeme might not have gotten a phone call."
Kaufman enticed McDowell to play for the Blazers and the rest is history.
"Graeme wasn't a superstar when he got here," Kaufman said. "He had an excellent freshman year, but when he went home that summer he won everything. As a coach, it's fun to see somebody take advantage of the opportunity and the facilities we have here. You never know if somebody is going to be a superstar, but he had an outstanding final year with us."
At Pebble Beach, McDowell shot 74 in the final round with only one birdie, but it was good enough to hold off Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Dustin Johnson, among others.
That was just the first of his 2010 three-act play.
With the Europeans and American locked in a tight battle for the Ryder Cup on the final day at Celtic Manor in Wales, it was McDowell who delivered the winning point in a 14.5-13.5 victory.
"The U.S. Open felt like a back nine with my dad compared to (the final Ryder Cup stretch)," McDowell told reporters after beating Hunter Mahan 3 and 1 in the Sunday singles. "I was really nervous there. I just can't describe the feeling of this golf tournament. It's a different feeling. It's so much pressure."
McDowell finished the best season of his career beating Tiger Woods in a playoff, making clutch putts on the final hole of regulation and the playoff for the win.
"It feels amazing," he said afterward.
That pretty much summed up the year for the UAB grad.
