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It’s coming up to two years since Graeme McDowell relieved himself of his PGA Tour and DP World Tour membership, to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League.
The 44-year-old from Portrush, Northern Ireland had decided to wash his hands of golf’s two strongest and most powerful tours, where he claimed a total of 13 victories, with the last ironically being the Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in 2020.
McDowell even has a major title to his name at the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach where he overcame a chasing pack including Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson and he also has the bragging rights of clinching the winning moment in the 2010 Ryder Cup for Team Europe by defeating Hunter Mahan. All being a catalyst that sent him on his way to a career-high of number four in the world in 2011. But it seemed he didn’t want any of those privileges anymore.
Jeff Gross
For what it is, and like many others, McDowell alongside with close friends Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood all moved across to LIV Golf in 2022, spearheaded by CEO Greg Norman.
But it wasn’t plane sailing for McDowell. He played poorly during his first two years in LIV and after ending up outside the top 24 and within the free trade category to then be in danger of being ejected from the league. Not before Brooks Koepka threw him a lifeline and invited him to play for team Smash GC.
If we just rewind a bit first though. Why did Koepka sign the out-of-form McDowell?
The pair have history. They formed a friendship when both were competing back on the then European Tour (DP World Tour) where Koepka’s caddie and McDowell’s close friend, Rickie Elliott, who is also from Northern Ireland became the bond for the pair.
Another seed growing this friendship was horse racing, as McDowell explained to Golf Digest.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said McDowell. “I’m not a horse racing expert, but I feel like ‘ve grown up around horse racing. In the UK and Ireland it’s something that people are really into.”
“I love being around people like JP McManus and meeting people like AP McCoy. That’s how we met Harry Derham.”
“In the beginning, Harry obviously trained horses under Paul Nicholls, a 14-time champion jumps trainer, plus JP’s got a lot of horses with him. So Harry always had dream of having his own yard and we said, hey when that day comes let’s, let’s get a couple of horses with you.
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“We initially bought Fourofakind at the start of 2023, which we own with a few of the guys out here on LIV. Then last summer, Brooks had just won his fifth major, so I said to him this is it, it’s meant to be my friend, and we called it Givemefive.
“All Brooks said was how much is it and where do I send the cash? That’s pretty much how Brooks operates!
“We’re on a cool WhatsApp group with Harry and the team at the yard, and Brooks enjoys staying in touch with what’s going on. I think he wants a few more horses. Maybe to get something in the U.S. like a horse that can run on the flat, maybe get him to the Kentucky Derby one year!
“But Givemefive is certainly paying its way right now, and we’re having a good time which is a good thing to have as a team. It’s something else to bond over and get excited about.
“We have a great group of guys that are very competitive and obviously having a horse, which is competitive as well as is definitely something fun for us to be focusing on.
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Maybe the form of Givemefive has rubbed off from the racing track to the course. Not only is Givemefive a part of Smash Racing, but it carries the colours of Smash GC. Since McDowell made the trade across to the new-look Smash GC team, it has been close to a dream start for not just himself, but the whole crew.
A dominating performance in Smash’s performance in Saturday’s final round of LIV Golf Las Vegas allowed skipper Brooks Koepka to celebrate his fifth trophy of any kind since joining LIV Golf, while teammate Talor Gooch became the first player to win trophies with three different teams.
But perhaps the most meaningful celebration came from McDowell, for the first time in his 24 starts in LIV Golf, he had his hands on a trophy once again.
His five under par 65 was two strokes better than any other player, as he fuelled Smash’s late surge on the final holes to break open a tight leaderboard.
“It’s been it’s been fun,” he said. “You know, being surrounded by players like Brooks, Jason (Kokrak) and Talor, who was the individual champion last year which is no small feat against the field that we have out here. It brings it’s own level of competition.
“These guys are motivated and they’ve got a great work ethic. I still want to win every week and you know these guys are going to compete at every event. So you better get going or else you’re going to get left behind,” McDowell said.
“I feel like for me, at this point in my career, I feel like I’m still good enough. I just need that motivation and that momentum.
“We’ve got a team now which believes that it can compete every week.”
Main image: Sam Greenwood/LIV Golf
