Graeme McDowell says he's held "really positive" talks about returning to the DP World Tour next season, revealing a potential pathway back to mainstream European golf as the Saudi-backed LIV circuit faces mounting financial uncertainty. The 46-year-old told BBC Sport he and the tour have agreed to meet again in November to finalise plans for 2027.
McDowell's comments come amid turbulence around LIV's future following the withdrawal of Saudi Arabian financial backing from the end of this season after the Kingdom contributed more than £3.75bn to bankroll its first three years. The former world number four, who joined LIV in 2022, won 11 tournaments on the DP World Tour between 2002 and 2020.
A Clean Slate After Fines Settled
McDowell reiterated that his DP World Tour fines for competing in LIV events were settled three years ago and described the situation as "a clean slate". He said: "I paid everything off at the end of 2023 and I'm fully up to date with the European Tour (DP World Tour). They offered me a way back earlier this year, and it was fair. They needed help in parts of the schedule I just couldn't commit to at that moment. It didn't suit either side, and that was OK. The communication lines stayed completely open."
The pathway back isn't guaranteed for all LIV players. McDowell acknowledged he's "fortunate" to have options, saying: "If LIV gets something done, great. If they don't, then maybe I'm just a European Tour player - and we go from there. I'm lucky to have that option."
Mounting Headwinds for LIV
Before the start of LIV's UK event in Staffordshire on Thursday, Martin Kaymer said it's "highly unlikely" LIV Golf's team championship will take place this year. LIV also suffered a blow earlier this week when it was announced that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour had agreed an alliance with the Asian Tour, which had been a partner of LIV since prior to the breakaway circuit's launch.
McDowell didn't shy away from the challenges. "There's no doubt there are headwinds," he said. "LIV are working incredibly hard behind the scenes trying to bring investment in. As players, all we can do is support and be good assets. Regardless of whether LIV Golf can find a solution to continue, I'll play as a European Tour player in some way, shape or form next season, assuming the Tour still want me and we can figure that relationship out."
No Regrets, But Missing the Majors
McDowell has only competed in one major - this year's US Open - since joining LIV in 2022. But he insists he has "no regrets" about making the switch, which came at a time when he was contemplating stepping away from competitive golf. He said: "In April and May of 2022, I was contemplating the end of my career. I'd even been on the phone with TV networks thinking about commentary. LIV gave me a runway to keep competing. Here I am four years later, still chasing my dream every day. I'll always be thankful for that."
Yet the cost has been clear. "I've missed a lot of things, the European Tour, the PGA Tour, the majors, the pathways, the crowds, the camaraderie," McDowell said. "Being back at Shinnecock (Hills, for the US Open) was amazing. Seeing all the lads again, the reception, the friendships - you realise how much you took for granted. I've missed it all, massively."
With his 50th birthday less than three years away, McDowell says the seniors circuit is now a realistic next chapter. He said: "It would be amazing to be a rookie again. Seeing [Ian] Poulter and [Henrik] Stenson at the US Senior Open was inspiring. The question is how I stay competitive for the next couple of years so I'm ready at 50."
Why This Matters:
McDowell's situation illustrates the precarious position of players who joined LIV Golf - a circuit launched with enormous Saudi financial backing that's now facing an uncertain future. While some players secured lucrative contracts, they've been excluded from major pathways and the established tours that built professional golf's infrastructure over decades. The DP World Tour's willingness to negotiate returns suggests European golf recognises that punitive exclusion serves no one's interests long-term. But the broader question remains: what happens to a breakaway league built entirely on state funding when that funding disappears? For players like McDowell who maintained relationships and settled their fines, there's a route back. For others, and for the future of competitive golf's structure, the answers are far less clear. The alliance between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Asian Tour signals that establishment golf is consolidating, not fragmenting - leaving LIV increasingly isolated.