Graeme McDowell is confident he can overcome the pitfalls of success after his astonishing U.S. Open win.

At this week's British Open McDowell joins two fellow Irishmen, Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy in the top fifteen. But McDowell is the No. 1 Irish hope a fact he is well aware of.

'I'm very aware of the pitfalls -- complacency, expectation levels, really trying to change my game now that I'm a major champion, there's all kinds of mistakes that guys have made in the past,'' McDowell said at St.Andrews. ''I feel like I've got some good processes and some good work ethics going on, and it's important that I do that.

''It's difficult to put Pebble Beach behind me, and I don't want to put it behind me because I'm enjoying every second of it and it's been an amazing experience,'' he added. ''But I've got to look forward to the rest of the season. I've got some big goals I want to achieve.''

''His game is suited really well for the majors, anyway,'' said Rory McIlroy, ''He doesn't do anything wrong. He makes a lot of pars, gives himself lots of chances. And he's got a great short game. ... I had sort of viewed winning majors as this higher level, and it just made me realize that it wasn't. You just needed to play well in the right week, and have a few things go your way.''

McDowell says the links course will suit him, but perhaps not as much as some think.

''When the wind blows and it starts raining, people always say to me, 'Geez, you must love this.' I hate it the same as everyone else does,'' McDowell said. ''But yeah, I grew up in it, and maybe I've got the kind of game that can deal with it a little bit more.''

McDowell had a mixed tournament in the Scottish Open, where he tied for 21st.

''I was hitting balls in the rain last week at Loch Lomond thinking, this could stand me in good stead for next week,'' he said. ''Obviously the forecast is pretty changeable around here, you never know to expect on a day-to-day basis, but you've got to be prepared for anything this tournament can throw at you.

''I've got all kinds of wet gear and cashmere and woolly hats and mittens, and we're ready for anything the course is going to throw at us this week.



''My preparation remains exactly the same,'' McDowell said. ''Obviously coming here as the U.S. Open champion is a special feeling. (But) I think it's important that I remain the same guy.''