Graeme McDowell was close to tears when he ended his title drought on Sunday evening.
McDowell secured his first PGA Tour win since 2015 when he claimed a one-stroke victory in the US PGA Tour’s Puntacana Resort Championship.
A five-foot birdie on the 17th hole meant that McDowell didn’t have to worry too much when he bogeyed on the last as the Portrush man held off the challenges of Chris Stroud and Mackenzie Hughes in the Dominican Republic.
“Don’t make me cry. This is big,” McDowell said of his win, which earned him prize money of $540,000.
“This is big for the people who stood by me – my sponsors, Srixon, RBC, Mastercard, Wheels Up – the guys who stood by me because it’s been a rough few years.
Back in the winner's circle!
For the first time since 2015, @Graeme_McDowell is a winner on the PGA TOUR.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/Z6lwqVUmuj
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 31, 2019
“(My caddie) Kenny (Comboy), who has been at my side for the last 13 years, it’s been a grind for my whole family.”
The victory sees McDowell move from 257th to 133rd in the world rankings and it also gives him the opportunity to earn a place in The Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
McDowell’s 69 on Sunday saw him finish at 18-under-par 270 for his fourth victory on the PGA Tour, his first since his OHL Classic win at Mayakoba over three years ago.
“Standing on 16 green I said to myself, ‘You’ve got to do something that’s tournament-winning,’” McDowell said. “And that shot to 17 was tournament-winning level.
“I’m really happy I got this done.”
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