McDowell named Player of the Year by American golf writers

Graeme McDowell, the first European to win the US Open in 40 years, has been named men's Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America.

G-Mac lost out at last night’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards but can take some consolation from this major honour.

Bernhard Langer was named the senior Player of the Year and Yani Tseng the women's Player of the Year by the writers.

The Open at Pebble Beach was one of McDowell's four wins this season and he won the deciding match at the 2010 Ryder Cup matches at Celtic Manor in September.

The awards will be presented the week of the 2011 Masters.