Personal
McDowell comes from a mixed Catholic/Protestant family background.
As he won the U.S. Open in 2010 he was living in a "bachelor pad" penthouse apartment in Portrush and was building a home in Lake Nona, Florida, United States.
When quizzed on whether he'd represent Britain or Ireland at future Olympic events, McDowell stated: “I’m not bothered who I play for. I’ll be honoured to represent Britain or Ireland or both. I’m proud to play golf for Europe." On the subject of his nationality, he added: “Yes, I sit on the fence but why not? There’s no right or wrong answer. I’m always going to upset someone, so why not sit on the fence?” He often travels and practices with Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington.
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to golf.
In January 2011 McDowell was photographed by Kevin Abosch for "The Face of Ireland" project.
McDowell is a devoted Manchester United fan. In the build up to the 2011 Masters Tournament he skipped the annual par-3 contest in order to watch a UEFA Champions League clash between United and Chelsea.
In June 2011, McDowell received an honorary doctorate (D.Sc) from the University of Ulster for his services to golf. He received his honorary degree from the University's Chancellor, the actor James Nesbitt on its Coleraine campus and in his speech to graduates, urged them to set their goals high in their careers and trust their intuition.
Read more about this topic: Graeme Mc Dowell
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