PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — The competitors fell throughout the day.
One by one, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly, Pebble Beach sucked the life out of golfers who dared test its teeth — the wind, the ocean, the greens, the rough and the pressure of the U.S. Open — until Graeme McDowell stood alone Sunday.
He wasn’t alone long, as his caddie, his father, other family and friends rushed to join him a celebratory hug on the 18th green. But his name remained alone on the leaderboard after 72 holes with an even-par score in the year’s toughest test of golf on one of the world’s most renowned courses.
McDowell won with a steady and consistent game fit for the U.S. Open. He made his share of bogeys but never scored a double. He made his share of birdies, 15 on the week, but never an eagle.