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Maiden major winners: Will the run continue at Royal Birkdale?

Last Updated: 19/07/17 1:03pm

Brooks Koepka became the seventh consecutive maiden major winner with his outstanding performance at Erin Hills, but there was a time in the not too distant past when nine different men won their first in a row.

Graeme McDowell's win at the 2010 US Open began a run of nine straight first-time winners through to Webb Simpson at the 2012 US Open, before Ernie Els ended the run when he pipped Adam Scott to The Open title the following month.

Koepka's major title

Relive how Brooks Koepka claimed his maiden major title at Erin Hills.

It's a run that could be matched if there are first-time winners at The Open and the PGA this year, so here's a reminder of the nine players who made their breakthroughs during that time...

Graeme McDowell - US Open 2010

Northern Irishman McDowell kicked things off with a solid 71 par at Pebble Beach in California, before heading into the weekend with a two-shot lead thanks to an impressive 68.

Graeme McDowell picked up $1.35m for his victory
Graeme McDowell picked up $1.35m for his victory

Another par round on the Saturday allowed Dustin Johnson to take charge thanks to a 66, but his triple bogey on the second put him out of contention on final day, while McDowell steered round in a three-over 74 to finish level and see off Gregory Havet of France by a single stroke.

Louis Oosthuizen - The Open 2010

An opening round of 65 left Oosthuizen two shots behind Rory McIlroy after day one, but McIlroy couldn't sustain that brilliance as he followed his nine-under round up with an eight over.

From there South African Oosthuizen took complete control with rounds of 67, 69 and 71 to finish seven shots clear at St Andrew's.

Martin Kaymer - PGA Championship 2010

Watson and Martin Kaymer both ended on 11 under, one ahead of Zach Johnson and Rory McIlroy
Watson and Martin Kaymer both ended on 11 under, one ahead of Zach Johnson and Rory McIlroy

Kaymer won the first of his two majors in a play-off against Bubba Watson at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

The pair couldn't be separated at 11 under after four rounds, and Watson took immediate advantage with a birdie in the first of the three-hole play-off, before Kaymer's birdie put them level going back into the 18th.

Watson then managed to double bogey the final hole after playing too aggressively, while Kaymer bogeyed to win the title.

Charl Schwartzel - The Masters 2011

McIlroy's final-round implosion allowed Schwartzel the opportunity to storm through and win his first major title at Augusta in 2011.

The Northern Irishman led by four strokes going into the final round but hit an eight-over 80 to fall completely out of contention, while Schwartzel hit 66 to surge away from the rest and win by two strokes.

Rory McIlroy - US Open 2011

Rory McIlroy also won the US Open in 2014
Rory McIlroy also won the US Open in 2014

This time there was to be no mistake from McIlroy as he dominated from start to finish at Congressional in Maryland.

He moved into a three-shot lead after an opening round six-under 65, and followed up with a 66, 68 and 69 to win comfortably by eight strokes.

Darren Clarke - The Open 2011

Clarke finally secured his first major win at the 54th attempt at Royal St George's in 2011 after more than two decades of trying.

A two-under opening round kept him in contention before taking a joint-lead on the second day. The Northern Irishman then moved a shot clear of Dustin Johnson on the Saturday, before finishing three clear on five under to win.

Darren Clarke finished three strokes clear of the chasing pack
Darren Clarke finished three strokes clear of the chasing pack

Keegan Bradley - PGA Championship 2011

Bradley became the first US golfer in the run of maiden major winners as he triumphed at Johns Creek in Georgia.

It didn't start well for him as he went one over in the first round, but three more days of excellent golf left him in a three-hole play-off with Jason Dufner, which he won by a stroke after a birdie and two pars.

Bubba Watson - Masters 2012

Watson had been beaten in a play-off by Kaymer at the PGA Championship in 2010, but managed to succeed at the Masters after edging out Oosthuizen.

Bubba Watson would go on to claim a second Masters title in 2014
Bubba Watson would go on to claim a second Masters title in 2014

The pair finished on eight under at Augusta, and both of them hitting a par on the 18th meant a move to the 10th, which Oosthuizen bogeyed to leave Watson with two putts to win, and he tapped in with the second to claim the title.

Webb Simpson - US Open 2012

Simpson became the ninth and final maiden major winner in this run as he won at Olympic Club in San Francisco in June 2012.

An indifferent start left him five over by the start of the weekend, but he recovered well with two rounds of 68 finish at +1 and win by a single stroke.

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