McDowell: “I Pray Something Will Change & I’ll Be In The 2027 Adare Manor European Team Room”.

11 months ago by Comments Off on McDowell: “I Pray Something Will Change & I’ll Be In The 2027 Adare Manor European Team Room”.

It was 25th July, 2019 when it was announced Ireland and the famed Adare Manor club outside of Limerick had been chosen to play host to the 2027 Ryder Cup.

One of the first thoughts following this news was that Ireland’s own Graeme McDowell would be an ideal European Team Captain for the 46th staging of the biennial competition.

McDowell is a US Open winner, he made his Ryder Cup debut in 2008, he was a veteran of four European Ryder Cup sides, including three victorious sides in succession from 2010 to 2014, and he also put his name into Ryder Cup history holing the winning putt to deliver Europe victory in 2010 at Celtic Manor.

Alas, in 2022 men’s pro golf was rocked with the formation of LIV Golf.

McDowell, and also a winner of 11 DP World Tour events, was one of those who signed with the breakaway league, a move that drew much unnecessary criticism in the proud Irishman’s direction.

G Mac had gone about his business without fuss but like so many other European Ryder Cup winning heroes such as Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter has been forgotten about in terms when it comes to mentioning the liklihood of now being a member of a future Ryder Cup team, becoming a vice-captain or taking on a future captaincy role.

Though this blankness, as the golf world knows, is their ‘sentence’, if I may use this word, for abandoning the DP World Tour for the riches of LIV Golf.

However, there may be light at the end of the tunnel for men’s pro golf but G Mac, and speaking exclusively with GolfByTourMiss is not holding his breath at thoughts of leading Europe into competition on his ‘home’ soil in some two-and-three-quarter years’ time.

“Highly unlikely, highly unlikely”, said McDowell.

“I’ve had that conversation with myself and I’ve made my peace with it a little bit. I had visualized myself standing up there at the opening ceremony at Adare Manor and introducing my European Team.

“It would be the greatest moment in my golfing life but it probably won’t happen now.  It is what it is and I am not going to lose any sleep over it.

“I pray that something will change so that I can be there at Adare Manor in some capacity with the European Ryder Cup team but I doubt if that will happen now.

“I’d love to be in the team room.  I loved to be in the team room as a vice-captain.

“So, let’s just stay there in the short term”.

Graeme McDowell – 2024 PIF Saudi International. Image GolfByTourMiss

McDowell and DP World Tour membership

McDowell confirmed he has paid all fines placed on him by the European Tour though he did not take-up 2024 DP World Tour membership nor had he applied for 2025 membership.

“A because I don’t want to be hit by more fines as I don’t see the point of that”, he said.

“Could I play my three or four events that you have to play?  Of course, I could but I am not going to be able to contribute to the DP World Tour at a high enough level that I would like to contribute to merit to be taking-up membership, and taking a spot from guys who could be playing more on the Tour.

“I choose to sit on the sidelines right now till the time is right for me take-up my membership and play a little bit.

“Right now, I have a healthy 2025 LIV season ahead of me with my 14 events while I will play on the Asian Tour a few times and I will be looking at qualifying venues for Royal Portrush which, obviously is, a master target for me next year.

“I will go to the US Open qualifying and I will just see how the schedule lays out”.

LIV Golf Players United When It Comes to the Ryder Cup

McDowell also spoke of the importance that LIV Golf European eligible players are united when it comes to the Ryder Cup and there is a lot of ‘love’ on the LIV tour for the opportunities the European Tour has provided them.

“Players like Sergio, Westwood, Poults and all the way down the ranks and including myself, as we know where we came from”, said McDowell.

“We know what the Ryder Cup means to us and we know why we are here because of the European Tour, so there is a lot of love out here but there is also a lot of disappointment in the way it’s all been handled because of what these guys have done.

“The European Tour is laying down the law the only way they know how and they have to be consistent but come September they are going to want Jon Rahm at Jon Rahm’s absolute 100% best if they are going to win the Ryder Cup.

“And I’ve read a lot of stuff on social media that Sergio Garcia is washed-up and he’s not good enough to play Ryder Cup.

“I respectfully disagree as the guy’s still got it.  If Sergio Garcia is not one of the top golfers in Europe right now then show me the other five or six guys. Like I say, I respectfully disagree.

“And if Sergio was at Bethpage next year it would be awesome”.

McDowell Moving Forward After Criticism.

There is good news for McDowell, and despite rumours, he will be a part of the 2025 LIV Golf make-up, and will continue to be a member of the Brooks Koepka led Smash team,

However, he speaks of the hurt of negative criticism he’s had to face since joining LIV but how he’s not put that aside and moved-on with his career.

“Honestly, my focus now has gone so far away from global so much, it’s become very tight and focussed on me and what we are trying to do on the golf course, he said.

“Noise going back to now playing on LIV has been difficult for me, as we sit around every day and every night for a couple of seasons now and we’re talking about why we are here and can you believe that?

“It gets crazy that the game is where it is and you’re looking at commercials on the Golf Channel slagging what we are doing out here.

“I have given so much to this sport over the years and it felt like it all disappeared overnight so I have tried very much to get away from such talk, as I am very focused on what I am trying to do and the tour I /am playing on.

“You can ask me if I watch any golf. I don’t watch golf and I try to be very micro-focussed on me and be a bit selfish with it all, as I realise it is a pretty fickle world out there and with people to just turn their back on you, despite 20-years building-up a reputation that I am just an honest, hard-working guy.

“All I have tried to do is my best but in a one second, it’s gone.

“It took me a while but I am long over all of that stuff and, like I say, the only way I can get on with my job is get the head down and chisel away and keep playing the sport that I love as well as I can possibly play”

McDowell and His Future With LIV

McDowell, as we’ve reported, was among those early LIV Golf signings but two indifferent seasons has meant uncertanity of his future with the Smash team.

However, and as mentioned above, his future is secure for the 2025 LIV season.

“It’s not been announced or anything yet, but my contract is with the lawyers right now,” McDowell said to Bunkered.

“They’re having a look at it just to make sure. It looks like exactly the same contract as last year.

“I’ve not put pen to paper yet but I’m about to put pen to paper and I’m obviously excited that Brooks is giving me another opportunity to play for Smash next year.

“I really enjoyed myself this year. It’s a phenomenal team with Talor (Gooch) and Jason (Kokrak). Brooks is the best major player of the last ten years and he’s a world class guy to be hanging around with.”

 



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