Northern Irish golfer Graeme McDowell punched his ticket to the only major where he has lifted the trophy. McDowell found his way back to the U.S. Open in 2026, which he had won previously in 2010.

McDowell is making a return to major championship golf for the first time since 2020. The event also carries personal significance, as his son, Wills Edson McDowell, will watch him compete in a major championship for the first time. The 2010 U.S. Open winner, during a podcast with Chris McKee on Friday, shared his excitement.

“I’m much more excited than I ever thought I would be, I’ve got to be honest. Since my U.S. Open exemption ran out in 2020, I’ve been to every qualifier since then. I take them seriously. I go there, I prep, and I try and get it done."

McDowell's return to the majors comes after a six-year gap. His last appearance came in 2020, the final year of the exemption he earned by winning the U.S. Open in 2010. His last major championship appearance was the The Masters in November 2020

After his exemption expired, a drop in his world ranking and his move to LIV Golf reduced his pathways into major championships.

Despite several attempts to play his way back into the field through qualifying, success proved elusive. That changed earlier this week when McDowell carded consecutive rounds of 69 at the Dallas Athletic Club final qualifier, securing one of the available spots at Shinnecock Hills.

"I finished bogey-bogey a few years ago in Dallas to miss by one. I was devastated. But going back this year, I was joking with my wife that I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to Shinnecock because it was so hard in 2018. It was a little bit of reverse psychology, I think, that got it done for me,” added the 46-year-old.

This time around, he's also got his family to cheer him on.

“I’ve got my nine-year-old boy coming with me. He’s never watched me play a major championship before,” said McDowell.

While the family milestone has made the occasion even more special, McDowell admitted that earning his way back into a major championship field is what makes the return particularly meaningful.

Graeme McDowell Explains Why Qualifying for the U.S. Open Spot Means so Much

After joining LIV Golf in 2022, the former U.S. Open champion faced a more complicated route back to golf's biggest events. The circuit did not initially offer Official World Golf Ranking points that help players qualify for major championships.

“Obviously, it’s been kind of an uphill battle the last three or four years. But I miss the majors, and I don’t think I really understood how much I missed them until I managed to qualify for Shinnecock,” said the 4-time PGA Tour winner.

McDowell has truly earned his spot in this year's U.S. Open with a smooth performance at the Dallas Athletic Club. He went on to speak about how he would try to enjoy his week and play his best at the major.

What are your expectations for Graeme McDowell at the U.S. Open, scheduled for June 18–21, 2026? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Surjo Ray