McDowell wins 7 weeks after turning pro

Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell won the Scandinavian Masters title Sunday just seven weeks after turning pro.

A closing four-under-par 67 for a 14-under-par 270 total, left him a stroke better than playing-partner Trevor Immelman of South Africa, whose last-hole bogey denied him the chance of a playoff.

McDowell, who shot a course record 64 on the first day, becomes the fourth fastest winner in Tour history. Australian Jarrod Moseley heads the list after winning the 1999 Heineken Classic in his first Tour event.

McDowell playing only his fourth European Tour event at 23 and Immelman in his second year on tour aged 22 -- battled it out down the closing stretch and it took a breathtaking approach to just two feet by the winner to separate the pair.

While McDowell had a tap-in for his par after chipping out from the sand, Immelman's approach took him through the green. He chipped up short and missed the putt from nine feet.

McDowell had 12 single putts, seven on the back nine, with a putter given to him by his idol and fellow Ulsterman Darren Clarke two weeks ago.

Every time McDowell looked in trouble with bogeys coming home at 13 and 15, where he thinned a bunker shot into water but only dropped one shot, the rookie hit back with birdies and showed calm way beyond his years.

"I was quite proud of how cool I stayed because it would have been quite easy to get upset at my bogeys on the 13th and 15th," said McDowell.

"I was in a state of shock after the 15th but my caddie calmed me down and I'd already forgotten the hole by the time I was playing 16.

"I felt it was always going to come down to the wire and I knew I had to hang in. Obviously it took a bogey from Trevor for me to win in the end."

The winner added: "When I saw where my ball was on the 18th green I allowed myself a high-five with my caddie.

"My ball had finished up just two inches away from where it was Saturday in the bunker, almost a carbon-copy under the lip, but this time plugged.

"Darren's definitely not getting his putter back. Two weeks ago my putting was at its lowest but as soon as I put Darren's putter in the bag I shot a 66 and I've been rolling them in ever since."

Immelman, looking to go one better than his second place in this year's French Open, said: "I thought I was a bit unlucky at the last.

"My ball finished up behind the green in grass that had been trampled down and the grass was lying against my shot."

Ryder Cup debutant Swede Niclas Fasth stayed in contention right to the short 16th where his ball plummeted into the water to run up double-bogey.

When he also double-bogeyed the last, Fasth slumped four strokes behind winner McDowell.

Third place went to 1988 US PGA Champion Jeff Sluman, playing on an invitation, and Norway's Henrik Bjornstadt, two strokes behind McDowell.

"I'm so excited," said McDowell, who honed his game at University of Alabama, Birmingham and was one of the successful Walker Cup team that beat America last year.

"This means no Tour school and the chance to plan a European Tour career with a two-year exemption."

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