Graeme McDowell opens bar at Nona Blue even before Harbour Town victory
Graeme McDowell sent champagne to the press tent after winning the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, so it came as no surprise when he said he would celebrate his future victories in part by buying a round for patrons of his new upscale pub and restaurant, Nona Blue.
He did one better Sunday.
Even before beating Webb Simpson in a one-hole, sudden-death playoff at the RBC Heritage at breezy Hilton Head on Sunday, McDowell called the restaurant to set up a round for those watching the golf on TV. McDowell won with a par on the first extra hole, and with his entourage made the 300-mile trek south back to Orlando and rolled into Nona Blue around midnight to celebrate the victory in person.
"It was pretty subdued and relaxed just because Graeme was so exhausted," Bill Bona, a founding partner in the restaurant and one of the hosts of The Leaderboard golf radio show, told Golf.com. "There weren't too many people still here when he showed up with his caddie and some friends. Ironically his parents had just gone back to Ireland that morning, and they'd been here since like the Honda Classic."
Bona said McDowell is expected to be on The Leaderboard show from 7-8 ET tonight, and fans can hit the Listen Live link to catch the interview.
(Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
