BRIAN ROBIN: I just wanted to welcome you all to this call and welcome Graeme to this call. The 28th PGA Grand Slam of is October 19 and 20 from the Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda. It will be televised on TNT on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. Eastern, Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m. Eastern, and check your proverbial local listings for your time zone. Graeme, once again, welcome to the call. Thank you for taking the time for this. And just as an introductory question, it's kind of a lost perk among being a Major Champion, but talk about when you found out the berth in the hardest foursome in golf to qualify for was part of the deal of winning the United States Open? GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, good morning, or afternoon there guys. Thanks for coming on the call today. Yeah, obviously very much looking forward to getting across to Bermuda next week. The Grand Slam of Golf is a very special event. You know, it's an elite ‐‐ like you say, probably the toughest fourball to get into in the world and to be part of that as a U.S. Open Champion is going to be a great experience. Winning a major is something we dream a lot as professional golfers, and you know, it's a very elite field to be part of next week. And disappointing obviously not to have Louis Oosthuizen there; I know he's pulled out due to injury. Would have been great to have all of the major championship trophies on‐site, but being over there with the U.S. Open trophy next week will be a real treat. BRIAN ROBIN: Have you been to Bermuda? Have you played Port Royal? Any experience with that course at all? GRAEME McDOWELL: No, I haven't. I've never been to Bermuda. This is going to be my first time. I was asking my caddie (Ken Comboy) this morning, he said it's a little windy and a little wet over there right now. I think they are catching a little bit of the tropical storm, but the weather is set pretty nice for next week and I'm looking forward to it. I have seen a few of the Grand Slams played there in Bermuda at Port Royal, and I've heard great things about the golf course and it looks like a stunning place.

Q. Run us through what 2010 did for you, winning an Open, hero, what it did for your sole, for your golf confidence, for your pocket book, all of it? GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, it's been an amazing season. I look back to probably the Chevron at the end of last year, getting a bit of a break getting into that event was really the catalyst for what's become an amazing season. Finishing second got me into 38th in the world, got me into the most important events at the start of the season and kind of got me off and running. It was a frustrating start to the year. I felt like I was playing well and felt like I was on the brink of doing something and all of a sudden, bang, I win in Wales with a very impressive weekend, (shooting) 127 on the weekend. And obviously two weeks later, I'm leading at Pebble Beach in one of the most surreal experiences of my life: Father's Day, Pebble Beach, the U.S. Open trophy in my arms. It was an amazing experience, and you know, one that I'll cherish all of my life. I've certainly taken a lot confidence from that. To know that my game can stand up under the utmost pressure, and to have the peace of mind to be able to do that certainly took a little bit of dealing with, the five or six weeks following the U.S. Open were difficult for me in a good way, just the attention and everything in my schedule, maybe I played five of the next six weeks. By the time I got to Whistling Straits, I was pretty beat up. But four weeks off (was) refreshing and getting ready for a pretty busy end of the season. Sort of obviously the Ryder Cup was an amazing experience, as well, and you know, to be part of that team, drama, and to be the guy to put the point on the board in the end and to do that was an amazing opportunity. And again, it just sort of put some more fuel into the fire for what's been an amazing season for me, and certainly one I'll be hoping to sort of back up and really take the confidence and momentum away to make me the best player I can be.

Q. Just wondered how the experience of past year has changed your approach to your game, whether it's affected you in any way at all? GRAEME McDOWELL: You know, sort of what's been going on in my world the last six months has certainly increased the demands of my time, you know, no doubt about it. I’m a lot more in the spotlight than I've ever been. So from that point of view, I really rely on my management team and the people around me to help sort of prioritize my time and make sure when I go to golf tournament, I'm ready to play come Thursday. Because, as I say, there are a lot more demands on my time off the golf course, and for all of the right reasons, and it's important that I'm ready and I still continue to prepare as well as I ever have and continue to do the things that I had done well to get me here.

You know, as far as the way I approach my game, you know, it's very important not to fall into the traps that the guys have experienced in years gone past; expectation levels, I've got to really manage those and make sure that I continue to realize it's a tough game and I've got to keep working hard and I've got to not rest on my laurels. I've got to keep working hard to try and be the best player I can be. So, you know, I'm very aware that there are pitfalls out there and like I say, I think those are the two most important ones, managing my time well and just dealing with my expectations and making sure I continue to work hard.

Q. The atmosphere of a Grand Slam is obviously different to anything that you've had this year. Does it change the way you approach it at all? GRAEME McDOWELL: You know, I mean, the Grand Slam, it's going to be an element of fun to it. It's a very elite fourball. Obviously missing Phil and Louis, it would have been special to have the four guys there this year, but pretty worthy replacements in and David Toms, both great, great players. You know, it's going to be a great experience over there next week. It's going to be ‐‐ like I said ‐‐ it will be an element of fun there, but I’m looking to try and make a statement as a top Major Champion this year. It's going to be great company. I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Greetings from Orlando. GRAEME McDOWELL: I'm in Orlando, also.

Q. Well, all right. I guess you're wide awake. I was reading the story, an interview you did with a paper in , at least that's where I read it, kind of connecting the dots about coming back from China after playing with Rory over there, and all of a sudden your agent is calling you and telling you you might be in this Target tournament on your way home, and in a weird way, you know, Tiger's misfortune sort of opened the door for you. You took the ball and ran with it and did a whole bunch of things with your clubs from that point. I was wondering if you could sort of walk us through those couple of days. You got into that tournament, lo and behold a bunch of doors opened up for you and now you're a global hero. GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, kind of a bizarre story. One of those things, the small things that happen in your life that can kind of shape into bigger things, you know what I mean. Like you said, I got off the golf course at the world up with Rory last year, and we lost by just a shot to the Italians and we were pretty disappointed.

And my manager was there, Conor Ridge, and he had been in contact with the Chevron people during the year. Obviously we had been tuned into the news that week obviously with what was going on in Tiger's world. Like I say I was on my way back Orlando through L.A. anyway, and the scenario was that a spot could be opening up for me and would I be interested in spending the night in L.A. and just sort of taking my chances and seeing what happened. I did that, and I think I hit the mall with that day on the Monday in L.A. and we were just kind of shopping around and I got the call telling me I was in. That was a pretty cool deal, just to be involved that week. It's a really fun event, a great event. And next thing, I finished second and got myself in the 38th spot in the world, which really made my schedule a lot more predictable at the start of the season, which no doubt kind of gave me the peace of mind to work and concentrate and play the best game that I could play and work hard on my game. There's no doubt that the pieces fell into place, and OK, I didn't have a great start to the season, but still, I was practicing away and playing in the best events. No doubt, that's what got me ready for Wales and the U.S. Open and what went on to happen at the Ryder Cup. It's just amazing how small things like that can kind of shape a year.

Q. It got you in the Masters, too, because at that point you were kind of on the outside looking in that particular window. GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, correct. It got me in that sort of January 1 window with the Top‐50 in the world getting into Augusta. There's no doubt it definitely helped shape the start of my season which went on to shape my year. Come Wentworth, I was right on the bubble again for the U.S. Open. I think I was hanging on to 48th, 49th spot in the world at that point. And obviously without Chevron, perhaps I'm outside of that window and maybe I'm not even at Pebble Beach. It's amazing how things happen.

Q. As far as the options, available options for the Chevron tournament, were you just the most convenient local guy there or were you next in off the checklist off the World Rankings? Do you know how that went down? GRAEME McDOWELL: I don't really know how it worked. It certainly wasn't a World Ranking deal for me because I was probably 15, 20 spots outside of the qualification at that point. I believe Chevron has a couple of invitations. And like I said, my manager was in contact with Chevron earlier in the year, and I just happened to be on the short list of invitations and a guy who was readily available on the way home from China.

So I think the stars just aligned and I happened to get a very, very lucky invite really.

Q. You were shopping with Ian Poulter when you got the phone call? GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, we were in the mall. Retail therapy, jet‐lag.

Q. Just wondering, having been to your wonderful country twice, I was struck by how many good players recreationally, pro and not, come from there and it's somewhat relevant again, because having won a major championship, you're from the same hometown I believe as , are you not? ? GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, correct.

Q. Can you talk, sort of a two‐parter. It's not exactly a unique question, but how much of an advantage players that grew up in climates like Northern have with the conditions that might be like that again in Bermuda again next week, although it sounds like it might turn around, with wind, with links golf, but also some of the courses around there, besides the obvious ones, Portrush and Royal County Down you grew up playing on? GRAEME McDOWELL: There's no doubt it certainly shaped my career where I grew up and I was very lucky to grow up on such a stunning links course like Portrush, and the inevitability of me playing golf at some point or another was definitely there at an early age. Growing up, obviously we don't really have the country club system in the U.K. and Ireland. We very much have a golf club scenario and great junior programs. I grew up with a great bunch of people, very good players, guys who went on to play internationally for Ireland and college golf in the States, and I really grew up around a lot of very good players. You know, like you say, conditions are certainly not Florida conditions; you very much learn quickly how to deal with tough weather conditions, wind and rain and cold. It definitely toughens you up as a player, there's no doubt there's a direct correlation with a place like Ireland with a lot of top golf courses, and we do, for a small place, produce a lot of very, very good players on the world stage and obviously I’m very proud of where I come from and I'm very happy and I'm very proud to be part of a great group of players right now who are obviously playing well, obviously myself and Rory and Padraig Harrington and coming off the back of guys like and Paul McGinley, a lot of really great players. It's amazing to produce that many top players from such a small part of the world.

Q. Do you recall precisely when you first heard about Rory? GRAEME McDOWELL: I don't remember where I was but I remember why I heard about him. He had just shot 61 at Royal Portrush in the qualifying for a big amateur event up there, and I had heard a few rumors. It's amazing how quickly you lose touch with amateur golf when you turn pro. There's so much going on in the pro ranks, you do lose touch very quickly in the amateur ranks. And I heard a few rumblings about this kid from Belfast, and next thing I heard he shot 61 and that was probably the first time I kind of sat up and thought, ‘Whoa, hold on, this kid might be a little special.’ And obviously, I got to know him very well the last few years, and I'm a big believer in him. I think he is very special and I think he's one of the most talented players I've ever seen.

Q. I understand, I believe you have said that you are going to take your PGA Tour card in 2011, I wanted to ask you, I take it you heard the news that just the other day the European Tour has upped its minimum from 12 to 13 going forward, just curious if that makes things anymore problematic for you and also if you were surprised by that? GRAEME McDOWELL: You know, I actually had not heard that news, so it's news to me. Really I was planning to play, you know, obviously the four majors, three WGCs; taking up six events on top of those is not really going to be an issue for me. I'm going to continue to support the best events from Europe, Wentworth, Loch Lomond and obviously The Race to Dubai events at the end of the season. So it shouldn't be too much of a problem for me. Like I was talking about at the start of the phone call, it's very important to prioritize, to not get sucked into playing too much golf around the world and not beating myself up too much. My scheduling is going to be very, very important to me next year. I am going to take my PGA TOUR card. I had my card in '06 and got injured and didn't really have a chance to play the full season and really kind of become a full‐time player over here. You know, obviously I’ve made my home here in Lake Nona in Orlando, and am very much looking forward to the 2011 season and look to get involved in the FedEx playoffs and really get a feel for that. I really feel like I'm embarking on my first‐ever PGA TOUR season. Like you say, I definitely want to continue playing on the European Tour as well and hopefully that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Q. Have you taken a look at how you might juggle that yet or is that too far in advance or do you kind of have it mapped out for early in the year? GRAEME McDOWELL: I'm actually going to sit down next week in Bermuda with my manager and my caddie.

We just got a hold of both 2011 schedules now and it's just a matter of sitting down and obviously pinpointing the events that I really, really want to play. I will be pinpointing probably in the region of 20 events, which will be events that will be ‐‐ obviously it's important to turn up every week in the best possible shape to play as well as you can. I'll definitely be pinpointing 20 events where I want to be in the best possible shape to compete, and after that, the rest of the season will just kind of fit in around those events. So 15 of those events kind of are obvious, the four majors, the WGCs, TPC, Wentworth, the big events; that part of the schedule will be easy. It's just fitting the rest of the stuff in around it. There's no doubt it is a balancing act. You have got to balance your time off and the travel, and it's definitely a very important part of the decision‐making process for next season.

Q. And last thing, are you able to say, do you spend more time in Orlando now than you do in or is it pretty much split? Or I guess with all of the other tournaments you go to, it's hard to even say? GRAEME McDOWELL: It's difficult to say right now. I would say I've gone probably migrated most of my time here to Orlando. I'm probably spending more than 50 percent of my off time here in Orlando. Northern Ireland is simply, I go home and catch up with my family, I have a very big family, very close family and very much I go back there just to see them and spend some relaxation time. Most of my constructive practice and preparation time is spent here at Lake Nona. So it's a nice balance.

Q. Most of my questions have been asked at this stage, but if I could just sort of elaborate on what your plans are for next season, the schedule, much more time in the U.S., how is the new house coming along in Lake Nona, and also, I know Rory is going to play in the States, as well, will he sort of do something similar to yourself and buy a house over there as well and base himself there? Do you know what's happening there? GRAEME McDOWELL: My house is coming along pretty well. Probably looking to complete that this time next year. So I'll be very much heavily involved in that. Actually going for some meetings, as soon as I get off this phone, I'm heading off for some meetings, kitchen cabinetry and fun stuff like that. I'm very excited about that. It's a great project to take my mind off golf when I'm here in Orlando and give me something else to channel some brainpower into. But as far as Rory goes, I'm not really sure. He's obviously got himself a great setup there in Belfast. He's got a beautiful house and a practice facility and dogs and a girlfriend and all that kind of thing. So to me, Rory is probably much more based in Northern Ireland than I would be.

I'm not sure if he has any designs on a house here in Florida, but I'll be looking forward to spending a bit more time with him. And he's already talked about coming up for a few days off here and there with me in Orlando and just checking the place out. We are very much looking forward to the season next year, and spending a lot more time here in Florida. And I'll be cutting the travel down early in the season because the European Tour schedule is pretty heavy from an air miles point of view for the first five or six months, and avoiding a bit of that will hopefully have me in a better shape come the summer and in a better position to play well when you need to play well, which is kind of the May through August time, and that's kind of the plan.

Q. And the fact that it's a non‐Ryder Cup year, would it make that decision to play in the States more easier more you? GRAEME McDOWELL: I think there's no doubt about that, that had a bearing in my schedule, no doubt. My schedule is probably a little different on a Ryder Cup year than it is from a non‐Ryder Cup year. Obviously part of my schedule will be looking at the points kicking in again in September, and The Ryder Cup is a big part of my goals and desires going forward. So you know, certainly I can definitely give America a lot more of a shot for the first eight, nine months next season and the FedEx Playoffs in a non‐Ryder Cup year.

Q. You seemed like a father figure to Rory during Celtic Manor, can you tell us what Rory would have taken that week, his first time and not being your first time, Valhalla, etc.? GRAEME McDOWELL: For sure, Rory and I have a lot of mutual respect for each other. I'm not sure if he looks up to me as a father figure, but I can certainly give him a bit of my experience and maybe the way I prepare or the way I go about things. Certainly he can definitely learn some things from me in that point of view, and I certainly learn a lot about what's possible with the golf ball when I play golf with him. I certainly try to hope a bit of his length and talent and like I say, special talent, rub off on me. As far as The Ryder Cup went, just the stuff I was telling him was just about using the crowd and just enjoying the experience and things like when we came off after session two, we just lost a tight match to Cink and Kuchar and we had to pick ourselves back up again for that third session. Just was passing on the experiences from Valhalla, like you do feel a bit flat after going back out again after such a tight, tense finish to a game, you have to come in, regroup and go back out and play another game. It's about keeping the energy levels up and on board.

He will certainly have taken a lot away from that Ryder Cup. I'm certain he had his eyes open to the exhibition that is the Ryder Cup. It is a very special exhibition and a very special golf tournament and I sure it's gone up in his estimation, and he's already been voted as saying it's one of the greatest weeks of his life. He's certainly enjoying himself and certainly wants more of that experience going forward.

BRIAN ROBIN: Graeme, once again, thanks for your time, and congratulations on an incredible season that probably is a portent of things to come. Once again, everybody, the 28th PGA Grand Slam of Golf is Tuesday and Wednesday from the Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda.

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