McDowell Walks Away From LIV Golf as League's 2.0 Rebuild Takes Another Hit

Graeme McDowell has become the latest major champion to walk away from LIV Golf, confirming on Monday that he will not pursue a place in the league's proposed new structure for 2027. The 47-year-old Northern Irishman, who won the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2010, joined the breakaway circuit at its launch in 2022 and has spent four years with it. "I've decided not to pursue LIV 2.0," McDowell said, thanking everyone involved in his time there and adding that he looks forward to the next chapter of his career. His record away from LIV is distinguished: 11 wins on the DP World Tour and four Ryder Cup appearances for Europe. On LIV itself, though, he never won an individual title. McDowell has not yet confirmed his next move, although earlier this year he told BBC Sport NI he had held positive talks about a return to the DP World Tour. His exit is striking given his defence of LIV in May, when he hit out at the league's critics after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund stopped funding it beyond the 2026 season. The fund withdrew its backing in April after investing more than five billion dollars, and LIV has since sought bankruptcy protection while private-equity firm BC Partners weighs a proposed 300 million dollar investment. That deal depends on securing enough player commitments, and with Jon Rahm, Louis Oosthuizen, Tom McKibbin, Tyrrell Hatton and Ian Poulter already out, McDowell's departure leaves the rebuild facing a race against time.