GOLF NEWS:COMPETITIVELY, AT least, Graeme McDowell can finally start to unwind as he gets set for a Christmas at home on the Causeway Coast.

Still, the positive fallout from his stellar season – during which he anchored Europe to victory in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and also claimed a breakthrough win in the Majors at the US Open in Pebble Beach – has brought still further accolades, with his selection as Professional of the Year in the AIB Irish Golf Writers’ Awards for 2010.

McDowell, who has already earned the recognition of both the European-based Association of Golf Writers’ and the Golf Writers’ Association of America, heads the roll of honour in the IGWA awards for the season gone by which is dominated by Ulster players.

Alan Dunbar, the latest on the production line out of Rathmore Golf Club, has been named men’s amateur of the year, while Curtis Cup player Danielle McVeigh has been voted women’s amateur of the year.

In a hugely successful season, McDowell – who has finished the year ranked seventh in the official world rankings – won the Wales Open, the US Open, the Andalucia Valderrama Masters and the Chevron World Challenge, as well as playing the role of strong man at the bottom of the order in defeating Hunter Mahan in the critical singles which enabled Colin Montgomerie’s team to regain the Ryder Cup from the United States in October.

“I am deeply honoured to win this award – and to see that Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington won in previous years confirms the strength of Irish golf at this time. In fact, European golf is riding the crest of a wave at the moment, with Lee Westwood’s move to number one in the world rankings and Martin Kaymer’s win at the US PGA Championship.

“This was a tremendous year for me personally and professionally. To win my first Major championship at Pebble Beach and then to bring home the team to victory at the Ryder Cup made this past season very special, the stuff of dreams. I’m now looking forward to some family time at home in Portrush before returning to the tour in Hawaii next month,” said McDowell, who previously won an amateur award from the IGWA in 2000.

“I would like to thank my family for their tremendous support through the years and also the team I have assembled, my caddie Ken Comboy, my coach Pete Cowen and my management at Horizon Sports, for all of their assistance in making 2010 such a great year,” added McDowell, who is odds-on favourite to lift the RTÉ Sports Person of the Year Award this week.

While McDowell was an unanimous choice for the professional accolade in the IGWA awards, Dunbar – a winner of the AIB Irish Amateur Open and the Magners North of Ireland championships – had to see off another Ulsterman, Paul Cutler, winner of the Lytham Trophy, for the men’s amateur prize.

McVeigh’s hugely impressive season – which saw her win the prestigious Helen Holm Trophy for the Scottish Open championship as well as secure a win over US amateur champion Jennifer Song in the final day’s singles at the Curtis Cup in Massachusetts – gave her the women’s amateur award.

Bill Gibson, an honorary life member of Curragh Golf Club, has been named as the recipient of the Distinguished Services to Golf award. Considered the authority on golfing history in Ireland, having written two golf club centenary histories (Carlow and Newlands), Gibson – a retired colonel in the Irish Army – has assisted in the production of 30 other club histories and was a contributor to the Royal and Ancient’s history in 2004 to mark their 250th anniversary. The four winners will be presented with their awards at a dinner in Dublin on January 27th next.

McDowell finishes the year as the leading Irishman on the official world rankings, in seventh place, and as the third highest ranked European behind Lee Westwood (one) and Martin Kaymer (three). Rory McIlroy has moved back into the top-10, in 10th position, while Pádraig Harrington is in 23rd position.

With the world rankings finished for the season, no fewer than 12 players not previously exempt have earned their invitations to the US Masters next April. Irish Open champion Ross Fisher and Italian brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari are among the European players to earn their tickets to Augusta.