{"id":259966,"date":"2025-11-03T15:49:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T15:49:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/259966\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T15:49:27","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T15:49:27","slug":"liv-golf-upset-graeme-mcdowell-slams-clickbait-at-its-finest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/259966\/","title":{"rendered":"LIV Golf: Upset Graeme McDowell slams “clickbait at its finest”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Graeme McDowell has claimed he was misquoted during a recent interview about his aspirations to be the European Ryder Cup<\/a> captain.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The LIV Golf man told bunkered<\/a> he would love nothing more than to succeed Luke Donald and lead the blue and gold when the matches head to his home country in 2027.<\/p>\n

The biennial clash between Europe and the United States will take place at Adare Manor and, before joining LIV<\/a>, McDowell had been considered a near certainty to lead the team.<\/p>\n

But given his ties to the PIF-backed league and the fact he is no longer a member of the DP World Tour, he knows it might not be possible and the odds are firmly stacked against him<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Conversations would need to take place with Ryder Cup Europe, he said, adding that he didn’t want to be presumptuous about his chances.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

McDowell previously said he would make the coffees just to be involved again.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He also had some thoughts on the divide at the top of the men’s game.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Graeme <\/p>\n

Graeme McDowell<\/p>\n

A deal between the PGA Tour and LIV’s financiers appears dead in the water, despite optimism at the beginning of the year there could finally a resolution to end the split.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McDowell was among the first wave of recruits to join LIV in 2022 and, as far as he is concerned, he is not to blame for the hostilities.<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

“The divisiveness has come from the best players in the world,” McDowell said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It hasn’t came from the 40-somethings like myself that are just trying to eke out a living and staying competitive on an opportunity that was presented to us, which would have been crazy to say no to from a business point of view.”<\/p>\n

McDowell’s “eke out a living” comment was jumped on by several golf fans on X, with many criticising the golfer of being tone-deaf. \u00a0<\/p>\n

How much McDowell was paid to join LIV is not public information, but it is widely assumed to be in the millions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What we do know is that his entire on-course earnings since joining LIV exceed $12m.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

He also won more than $19m in prize money on the PGA Tour<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I’m not sure G-Mac’s version of ‘eke out a living’ would square with most other people’s,” one replied.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another asked: “Was he being serious?”<\/p>\n

This person wrote: “I really like G-Mac, but saying taking the LIV bag was to ‘eke out a living’ is disingenuous and insulting to the many tour pros who legitimately are struggling.”<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

McDowell has now taken the time to respond to the comment, saying it was “clickbait at its finest”.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The article is about what it would mean to me to be the Ryder Cup captain in Ireland in 2027,” he wrote on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Misquoted regards “ekeing out a living”. Supposed to read “ekeing out the last few years of my playing career”.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate and if it was all done tomorrow all I would have is gratitude. That’s all.”<\/p>\n

Clickbait at its finest here. The article is about what it would mean to me to be the Ryder Cup captain in Ireland in 2027. Misquoted regards \u201cekeing out a living\u201d. Supposed to read \u201cekeing out the last few years of my playing career\u201d. I\u2019ve been incredibly fortunate and if it was\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/19ggS9hvUK<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) November 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

McDowell pens new LIV Golf deal<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, LIV Golf’s offseason<\/a> opened earlier in the week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It means that teams in the league are able to trade players and make new signings before the 2026 season begins next February.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McDowell played the first season on LIV as a member of Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks quartet but appeared to clash with the German.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka<\/a> snapped up McDowell and the Irishman finished the 2025 season in the ‘Open Zone’.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It meant a captain like Koepka was able to sign another player in McDowell’s place.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

bunkered have reported McDowell has agreed an extension and will be back in 2026.<\/p>\n

LIV are hoping to extend a number of contracts over the next few months.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau<\/a> and the aforementioned Koepka are yet to announce new deals.<\/p>\n

FlushingIt reported last week that Johnson has already put pen to paper<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Subscribe to our Newsletter