McDowell follows in Vardon’s footsteps 100 years on

By anybody’s standards, reigning US Open champion Graeme McDowell has had a busy month. After his euphoric victory at Pebble Beach the Ulsterman has fulfilled hundreds upon hundreds of media commitments, with every media outlet in America and Britain wanting a piece of European golf’s latest Major man.

Despite his hectic schedule the world number 11 managed to find a spare week in his diary to return home last week and followed in the footsteps of 1900 US Open Champion Harry Vardon by teeing it up at the Sandy Hills Links at Rosapenna, Co Donegal.

The impressive Sandy Hills course is currently ranked No. 17 in Ireland by Golf Digest and has welcomed Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and WHO in the past

After Vardon won his US Open title at Chicago Golf Club in 1900 he visited Rosapenna in the Summer of 1910, almost 100 years to the day that McDowell made the trip to Ireland’s north west.

McDowell now heads to Firestone for the WGC Bridgestone invitational before he launches his assault on a second major title in the USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits later this month.