McDowell Leaves LIV as More Majors Exit — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Graeme McDowell announced on Monday that he had "decided not to pursue" LIV 2.0, the new version of the breakaway tour due to start in 2027; the 47-year-old won the 2010 US Open.
- Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen have also confirmed departures from LIV, while Tom McKibbin left the previous week to return to the DP World Tour.
- Tyrrell Hatton and Ian Poulter have also left LIV, adding two more departures among the English players in the competition.
- Public Investment Fund withdrew its backing from LIV in April after pumping in more than $5bn (£3.8bn), leading the league to file for bankruptcy protection in the United States last month.
- LIV Golf has secured possible $300m (£224m) financing from BC Partners Credit to move forward with LIV 2.0, but only a handful of players have committed.
- Graeme McDowell joined LIV at its 2022 launch and recorded his best finish on the tour with a tie for second in Virginia in June 2025; earlier this year, he said he had held "really positive" talks about returning to the DP World Tour next season.
Why it matters: McDowell’s departure leaves LIV 2.0 with a thinner roster of established names: the major champion follows Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen after Saudi’s PIF withdrew its backing following more than $5bn in investment and LIV entered bankruptcy protection. The tour has secured a possible $300m financing package for a 2027 restart, though only a handful of players are committed.
Ask SkimNews
