With a burgeoning strength in depth in the European game, it seemed only a matter of time before Europe had its first winner of the US Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970.
This season alone there have been victories for Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and now Graeme McDowell on American soil. And the game’s most powerful nation will be anxiously wringing its hands in fear that behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, there is not a huge amount of obvious talent to repel the invasion.
In the past, European players found it difficult to adjust to the conditions in the United States and in particular at the US Open, with its fearsome rough and hard, fast-running greens. They were relatively unwelcome and opportunities to play in the US were few and far between. Which made Jacklin’s victory at Hazeltine National all the more impressive.
Now the world’s best players — and that includes a growing and powerful contingent from Asia — are able to play full-time on the PGA Tour in the US and are familiar with the playing environment. For this reason alone, it should not be another 40 years before there is another British winner.
It was not as if Europe’s best players did not get close. Colin Montgomerie went closest of all, finishing runner-up in 1994, 1997 and 2006. He lost a play-off to Ernie Els in 1994, but was left kicking himself for throwing away a golden chance at Winged Foot in 2006, when he missed the green with an easy shot to the 72nd hole and with it went his hopes.
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Nick Faldo was also beaten in play-off, by Curtis Strange in 1988, and Ian Woosnam came in second to Strange the year after. It has been a barren four decades, but the jinx has finally been broken.