McDowell, Graeme (1979-…), is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland . McDowell won the United States Open in 2010, the first time in 40 years that a European player had won the tournament. The victory is McDowell’s only major tournament title. The majors in professional men’s golf consist of the Masters, the United States Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship.
McDowell was born on July 30, 1979, in Portrush, Northern Ireland. He began playing golf as a child. McDowell studied engineering at Queen’s University in Belfast until he transferred in 1999 to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the United States. He played on the golf team during his three years at UAB, winning an award as top collegiate golfer in the United States in 2002 and All-American honors in 2001 and 2002. After graduation, he returned to Northern Ireland and turned professional.
McDowell has played on both the European Tour and the United States PGA tour. He was one of two golfers named the European Tour Golfer of the Year in 2010. McDowell was selected to play on the European Ryder Cup team in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014. The Ryder Cup is a competition between teams of U.S. and European golfers that is held every two years. Queen Elizabeth II named McDowell a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2011 for his services to golf.
