Graeme McDowell ready for Oakmont exam

It’s a case of returning to the scene of the crime, so to speak, for Graeme McDowell this week. It was at Oakmont – in 2007 – that the Northern Irishman departed that year’s US Open with the

comment “I’m glad it’s all over” as he realised he was still on a learning curve for the Majors. Yet, it was an experience that he put to good use for future US Opens.

McDowell described at the time how he would approach future examinations differently.

“I feel I have learned a lot about myself. Certainly things I can work on with my short game and physical stamina. What these weeks are all about is that these are marathons. You have to pace yourself. They are unbelievably tough weeks.”

McDowell would lift the US Open above his head just three years later, at Pebble Beach, where he became the first Irishman ever to win the championship and the first European in 40 years to do so.

And he had another close encounter two years later at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, where he finished runner-up, a shot behind Webb Simpson.

Lot of security

“Olympic [in 2012] was my most recent good US Open performance and I missed the cut at Memphis that year too and flew in early and enjoyed that little bit of extra homework because the US Open is a particularly busy one with a lot of security.

“I remember Oakmont being a lot of autographs and that stuff can wear you out. It makes practice rounds difficult to get anything done because you’re trying to do your bit and sign bits and pieces for people. Having that Saturday and Sunday when it’s super quiet can be nice sometimes.

“I do relish that challenge. I think I am more of a purist US Open guy. I’ve performed well on the pure US Open tests like Pebble Beach, Olympic Club and had it going at places like Winged Foot – very much looking forward to this one and feel like I am taking some decent amount of game in there,” said McDowell.

So, this is a championship that McDowell has fonder memories of than most.

He has two 90 per cent-sized replicas – one of which is on display in his home club Rathmore in Portrush and the other kept at his home in Orlando – to remind him of those past deeds, but he arrived in Oakmont earlier than planned after a missed cut in the FedEx St Jude Classic.

McDowell’s early arrival into Pittsburgh at least enabled him to get his US Open preparations under way, and he posted a short video on social media to emphasis just how thick the greenside rough will play for competitors this week.

Defines his season

This is of course a big tournament in its own right for McDowell, but it could also be the one that defines his season.

He is still playing catch-up in the qualifying race to make Europe’s Ryder Cup team (aiming to make the team for a fourth successive time) and his post-US Open schedule will be hectic, taking in the French Open, Scottish Open, British Open, Canadian Open and US PGA in five successive weeks.

“It will be a big run. My wife’s pretty heavily pregnant and spending five weeks away from her I’m not really looking forward to it. But I’ve got to do it.

“I want to play on the Ryder Cup team very badly and those are going to be the key part of the season – French Open double points, Scottish Open with a good field.

“There are plenty of world ranking points and then into the Open, which I’m not currently exempt for but I’m hoping to hang onto the top 20 in the FedEx points. They’ll take the top five not already exempt and I should be in that top five and that’s my way into the Open, fingers crossed.”

Now, though, the examination is all about the US Open – and getting ready to play those delicate shots from greenside rough to speedy greens.