“This is great for my bank account” – Golf star shares one big regret about joining LIV
LIV Golf star Graeme McDowell recently opened up about one big regret from joining the Saudi-backed tour – saying he only signed up because it was good for his bank account.
McDowell was one of the first players to leave the PGA Tour and join LIV back in 2022. He took part in their first event in London alongside big names like Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, and Sergio Garcia.
He has an impressive golf history, winning the US Open in 2010 and playing for Team Europe in the Ryder Cup four times. In 2021, he even served as vice-captain at the Ryder Cup before switching to LIV.
His time with LIV Golf has been eventful. In 2023, he ended up 42nd and wasn’t offered a new contract, but he joined a new team for 2024. That year, he was fined $120,000 and banned for one event after accidentally taking a banned decongestant. He accepted the penalty, saying he didn’t realize it was on the banned list.
Earlier this year, McDowell made history by hitting two hole-in-ones back-to-back, a first for LIV Golf players, with the second one happening at LIV Singapore.
However, uncertainty looms as Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund plans to stop funding LIV after 2026. LIV has set up a new board and is looking for outside investors, but the future of the tour is still unclear.
Some players are already considering options elsewhere. For example, Jon Rahm has agreed to return to the DP World Tour, accepting fines of £2.2 million.
McDowell’s situation is a bit different – before LIV came calling, he was actually thinking about “getting a real job” away from golf. Speaking ahead of the LIV Golf Virginia event, the 46-year-old said he hopes to stay with LIV despite some regrets.
He shared, “I love playing, I love competing. I regret some of the things I said in the beginning, like talking about growing the game. I probably should have just said it was good for my bank account and gave me a chance to play golf for as long as I can.”
McDowell also mentioned how surprised he was by all the negativity around LIV. “If we can shift the focus away from Saudi Arabia and bring in some US money, maybe we can change the story. The current narrative is just nasty. Maybe we can get rid of that and focus on LIV as a solid golf tour.”
He added, “We all knew we’d have to stand on our own feet one day to make this a real business. At first, with all the cash we had, it felt a bit crazy and unreal. But now, it’s like we’re turning 18 and stepping into the real world. We’ve got to fend for ourselves and try to make this a legit business.”