“It was disheartening,” McDowell says of being kicked off the LIV Golf team.
Graeme McDowell told GolfMagic how Brooks Koepka saved his bacon in the off-season when Martin Kaymer made it very evident that he had no place on Cleeks Golf Course.
Before LIV Golf’s fourth event of the 2024 season at Hong Kong Golf Club, McDowell talked exclusively to GolfMagic about his new captain and the lifeline he offered him before the new season.
After being chosen in the draft by captain Kaymer in 2022 alongside Richard Bland and Bernd Wiesberger, McDowell’s association with Cleeks GC commenced.
“It was disheartening,” McDowell says of being kicked off the LIV Golf team.
McDowell acknowledged that his first two seasons on LIV didn’t go as planned, placing him in the individual rankings at 34th and 42nd, respectively.
A eager talker, the Northern Irishman shared how his transition to Smash GC—which also includes Talor Gooch and Jason Kokrak—came to light.
According to McDowell, GolfMagic
“The Cleeks’ romance had somewhat reached its zenith. Really, it wasn’t a great fit. Regretfully, I don’t think Martin regarded me as a member of the team in the future.Since my contract with LIV was about to expire and it was obvious that Cleeks didn’t want me on the squad, I was concerned about my future at the time. As you can see, Brooks truly gave me a lifeline.”
McDowell has found some early-season form since joining Smash GC. He finished sixth at LIV Golf Las Vegas, where Smash GC also won the team event, and is presently tied for 19th in the individual standings.
“Great players play well in tough conditions”
-Brooks Koepka pic.twitter.com/nCcuAkcN87
— Smash GC (@SmashGC) February 15, 2024
In addition, Smash GC placed third in Jeddah and seventh at Mayakoba, good for second place in the team standings.
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