Latest news with #SmashGC
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Graeme McDowell ready for a TV career? First, he's working some magic at LIV Golf UK
Graeme McDowell has just a single top-10 finish on the LIV Golf circuit this year, and he admitted to the British golf site Bunkered that he's seriously considering a dive into the media world if his playing days on the fledgling league are coming to a close. In fact, after a week on the microphone for Sky Sports and the R&A's 'World Feed' coverage during the 2025 Open Championship at Portrush, McDowell said his appetite has officially been whetted. "Is there any TV in my future? Potentially, when I'm done playing golf, it was always something that I wanted to dip my toe into to see if I liked it. And last week was a way to have a little chip at it and see if there's anything there," he told Bunkered. 'First and foremost. I mean, I gained a definite appreciation for the skill level involved in being very, very good at it, you know, surrounded by guys like, you know, Ewan Murray and Nick Dougherty and Andrew Cotter and Ken Brown." McDowell is back on the other side of the mic this week at LIV Golf UK, where he pulled off a masterful shot during Friday's opening round. After finding some thick stuff on the par-4 11th hole at JCB Golf & Country Club, the 2010 U.S. Open winner showed his creativity around the greens as he pitched a ball up on a slope and brought it back down inches from the cup. Now 45, McDowell signed a one-year deal with Smash GC, Brooks Koepka's squad, but he's on the outside looking in for next year, in terms of relegation. The Northern Irishman is 32nd in the LIV standings and he needs to get into the top 24 in the next three events to secure a spot for 2026. Understandably, he's keeping his future options open. 'Say I was done with LIV at the end of this year and I got unceremoniously dumped out, what would I do? Would I go back to the European Tour for a year, take up a year's membership and one of my exemptions there? Or would I make the jump into the media world?' McDowell told Bunkered. 'It would really just depend on how I feel, how I feel my game is, how my health is, what the world would look like from a media point of view." "I'll continue to talk to some of these media outlets and maybe do a little training on the side, you know, just to get myself ready. I feel like I know a lot of these guys very well and I understand the sport. I'd give it a go for a year or two just to see if I like it. 'I've never had a real job before, so I'm not sure how I'd handle it.' This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Graeme McDowell works magic at LIV Golf UK, but could start TV career
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
LIV Golf's top earner on another planet compared to rivals after £2.9m bank boost
Countless players have switched to LIV Golf from the PGA Tour since its inception in 2021, with relaxed schedules and mega-money tournament purses turning the heads of players Talor Gooch has added a whopping £2.9 million to his bank balance after clinching the title at LIV Golf Andalucia earlier this month. The Oklahoma native showcased his skills on the greens and fairways of Real Club Valderrama, edging out Jon Rahm by a single stroke with an overall score of eight under par. His team, Smash GC, finished in a respectable T3 position alongside Dustin Johnson's 4Aces, with Gooch, Jason Kokrak, Graeme McDowell and team captain Brooks Koepka ending the three-day tournament at even par when combined. Rahm's Legion XIII topped the team standings at five under, closely followed by Sergio Garcia's Fireballs at three under. Despite the Smash players splitting £371,000 for their performance in Spain, it pales in comparison to the staggering £2.9m Gooch pocketed for winning the individual tournament. LIV Golf, known for its generous prize money and relaxed schedule compared to the PGA Tour, has allowed some of the world's top golfers to amass considerable wealth since its inception. In 2025, the LIV roster boasts big names such as Bryson DeChambeau, Ian Poulter, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood, to name just a few. While each of these golfers has managed to carve out an impressive career under the Saudi-backed breakaway league, no one has been as handsomely rewarded as Gooch. To date, the 33-year-old has earned a staggering £47.8m, including an incredible £13.3m for finishing as LIV Golf's Individual Champion in 2023, reports the Mirror US. Gooch has participated in 45 LIV Golf events overall, winning four in total. His first victory came in April 2023, when he clinched the top spot at LIV Golf Adelaide with an impressive score of 19 under par, before doubling down just a week later at LIV Golf Singapore. His third win was at 2023's LIV Golf Andalucia in July, and his most recent win at the same event earlier this month takes his total to four. For context, before making the move to LIV, Gooch had only one win on the PGA Tour at the 2021 RSM Classic and a 2017 win on the Korn Ferry Tour's News Sentinel Open. His move to a different banner has evidently paid off. As for the next highest earner on the LIV roster, Johnson has reportedly made £43.6m from 45 events to date, also including his £13.3m award for winning as the 2022 Individual Champion. Elsewhere, Joaquin Niemann, Rahm and Cameron Smith round out the top five highest LIV earners with fortunes of £40m, £36.8m and £34.2m respectively. Despite a string of successes under the LIV banner, Gooch is yet to clinch his first major title, having not made it into the top 10 of the big four so far. His best shot was at the 2022 Masters, where he managed a T14 finish alongside golfing stars such as Min Woo Lee, Harry Higgs, Kevin Na and Tommy Fleetwood. LIV players do not earn Official World Golf Ranking points, which puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to qualifying for major tournaments compared to their PGA counterparts. As a result, Gooch missed out on the Open Championship last weekend. While several LIV stars did make it to the esteemed major held at Royal Portrush this year, only DeChambeau managed to break into the tournament's top 10 with an overall score of nine under. Tyrrell Hatton secured a T16 finish, Johnson had to settle for T23, and Rahm, Garcia and Westwood ended Sunday's play with totals of three under, finishing at T34. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler ultimately took the crown in Northern Ireland on 17 under, four strokes ahead of second-place Harris English. It marked the 29-year-old's second major of the year following his triumph at the PGA Championship back in May, and the fourth of his career overall. While he's in a strong position to secure the much-coveted Career Grand Slam at next year's US Open, he'll be keen to put his T7 finish at this year's event behind him - a tournament where many of his contemporaries also found the going tough due to the punishing conditions at Oakmont Country Club.
Scotsman
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
LIV Golf takeaway talk, Sergio snap, Lowry leaves on high and Spieth on Birkdale - snippets from The Open
Martin Dempster reports from Royal Portrush with some takeaways from day four of The Open Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Our golf correspondent reports from the media centre and also digs out some stories behind the scenes at Royal Portrush. Takeaway talk: LIV Golf player ready to 'retire' According to a conversation overhead in a takeaway restaurant in Portstewart, one of the 18 LIV Golf players who teed up here will be leaving the Saudi-backed circuit when his contract expires. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jason Kokrak is a member of the Smash GC team captained by Brooks Koepka |It was initially quite funny hearing someone saying over and over again that he was talking about Jason Kokrak and not Brooks Koepka, the two Smash GC team-mates. In fairness, and even more so considering he'd clearly had a few refreshments, the person knew exactly who he was talking about and also that Kokrak had filled his pockets through signing for the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit. They must still be bulging because the word 'retiring' was muttered, which instantly made this correspondent think that those ongoing talks between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf can't exactly be close to offering a pathway back to the US circuit. Sergio Garcia of Spain acknowledges the crowd on the 18th at Royal Portrush |Anger mis-managment as Sergio Garcia snaps driver Bob MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton had both blown their tops in the third round and it was Sergio Garcia's turn to overheat in the closing circuit. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After badly pulling his drive at the par-5 second, the Spaniard slammed the club into the turf only to be left regretting his action as the head snapped off. That, of course, left Garcia having to play the remainder of his round using either a 3-wood or iron off the tee and, in fairness, he didn't do too badly, singing for a three-under 68. It was a decent week, incidentally, for the LIV players as 11, including Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson, made the cut. Shane Lowry's tough week at Royal Portrush ended on a high note |Shane Lowry blowing kisses at end of tough week Shane Lowry, the 2019 winner here, finished his closing circuit a good 90 minutes before the last group teed off. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It had been a difficult week for the Offaly man as he was hit by a two-shot penalty at the end of his second round then found himself being sick a few hours later as a virus swept through his family. He departed the scene, though, blowing a kiss to the crowds around the 18th green after signing off with a satisfying 66 that contained six birdies. 'It was probably one of the most enjoyable rounds of golf I've had in a while,' he admitted. 'I'm happy I finished like that, and I'll drive down the road a little bit happier than maybe I would have been.' Jordan Spieth, pictured at Royal Portrush, is looking forward to retruning to the scene of his 2017 triumph |Jordan Spieth looking forward to Birkdale boost A raft of changes, which included the removal of the old 14th and the creation of a new par-3 15th, have been made at Royal Birkdale, venue for the 154th Open Championship. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But that won't stop Jordan Spieth, the winner at the Southport venue in 2017, enjoying a walk down memory lane in 12 months' time. 'I haven't been there since and it will be really cool to just go out there and play the course again,' said the American. 'It'll be cool to relive the memories that I had from the whole week, and obviously the last five holes or so.
Scotsman
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
LIV Golf takeaway talk, Sergio snap, Lowry leaves on high and Spieth on Birkdale - snippets from The Open
Martin Dempster reports from Royal Portrush with some takeaways from day four of The Open Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Our golf correspondent reports from the media centre and also digs out some stories behind the scenes at Royal Portrush. Takeaway talk: LIV Golf player ready to 'retire' According to a conversation overhead in a takeaway restaurant in Portstewart, one of the 18 LIV Golf players who teed up here will be leaving the Saudi-backed circuit when his contract expires. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jason Kokrak is a member of the Smash GC team captained by Brooks Koepka |It was initially quite funny hearing someone saying over and over again that he was talking about Jason Kokrak and not Brooks Koepka, the two Smash GC team-mates. In fairness, and even more so considering he'd clearly had a few refreshments, the person knew exactly who he was talking about and also that Kokrak had filled his pockets through signing for the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit. They must still be bulging because the word 'retiring' was muttered, which instantly made this correspondent think that those ongoing talks between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf can't exactly be close to offering a pathway back to the US circuit. Sergio Garcia of Spain acknowledges the crowd on the 18th at Royal Portrush |Anger mis-managment as Sergio Garcia snaps driver Bob MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton had both blown their tops in the third round and it was Sergio Garcia's turn to overheat in the closing circuit. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After badly pulling his drive at the par-5 second, the Spaniard slammed the club into the turf only to be left regretting his action as the head snapped off. That, of course, left Garcia having to play the remainder of his round using either a 3-wood or iron off the tee and, in fairness, he didn't do too badly, singing for a three-under 68. It was a decent week, incidentally, for the LIV players as 11, including Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson, made the cut. Shane Lowry's tough week at Royal Portrush ended on a high note |Shane Lowry blowing kisses at end of tough week Shane Lowry, the 2019 winner here, finished his closing circuit a good 90 minutes before the last group teed off. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It had been a difficult week for the Offaly man as he was hit by a two-shot penalty at the end of his second round then found himself being sick a few hours later as a virus swept through his family. He departed the scene, though, blowing a kiss to the crowds around the 18th green after signing off with a satisfying 66 that contained six birdies. 'It was probably one of the most enjoyable rounds of golf I've had in a while,' he admitted. 'I'm happy I finished like that, and I'll drive down the road a little bit happier than maybe I would have been.' Jordan Spieth, pictured at Royal Portrush, is looking forward to retruning to the scene of his 2017 triumph |Jordan Spieth looking forward to Birkdale boost A raft of changes, which included the removal of the old 14th and the creation of a new par-3 15th, have been made at Royal Birkdale, venue for the 154th Open Championship. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But that won't stop Jordan Spieth, the winner at the Southport venue in 2017, enjoying a walk down memory lane in 12 months' time. 'I haven't been there since and it will be really cool to just go out there and play the course again,' said the American. 'It'll be cool to relive the memories that I had from the whole week, and obviously the last five holes or so.
The Irish Sun
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside Graeme McDowell's life away from golf with wife & kids as he makes commentary debut at The Open
GRAEME McDowell has already impressed after making his commentary debut at his local course of Portrush on Thursday. The 6 McDowell joined Sky Sports' regular commentators such as Laura Davies and Wayne Riley Credit: Getty 6 He married partner Kristin Stape in 2013 6 They have two children together Credit: Getty Images - Getty 6 Nowadays he is a teammate of Brooks Koepka on the Smash GC team on the LIV Golf circuit Credit: AP He had hoped to play at the 153rd edition of the world's oldest golf tournament but Here, SunSport delves into the 2010 US Open winner's life away from the golf course: WIFE AND CHILDREN Around the time of that career highlight Major victory, Graeme met his spouse Kristin. He'd initially hired her as an interior designer while he was building his home in the ultra-wealthy Florida community of Lake Nona in Florida. Read More On Irish Sport They wound up dating and got engaged in October 2012. They tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in The Bahamas in September 2013. The couple have two children together. Their daughter Vale was born in 2014 whilst son Wills came into the world two years later. Graeme is a very private individual so there are no photos of them publicly available with his EARLY LIFE He's been based in the US for much of his life as he went to college at the University of Alabama in Georgia after transferring over from Belfast's Queen's University where he'd studied engineering. Most read in Golf The former When asked about his personal sense of identity he emphasizes that he doesn't like picking one nationality over another. Tense moment as furious Jon Rahm confronts golf fan at The Open When asked about potentially playing in the He explained: "I'm not bothered who I play for. I'll be honoured to represent Britain or Ireland or both. I'm proud to play golf for Europe." He added: "Yes, I sit on the fence but why not? There's no right or wrong answer. I'm always going to upset someone so why not sit on the fence?" The 45-year-old ultimately never represented either on the Olympic stage as he chose not to replace 6 The 'Golf, But Louder' circuit has seen him play in tournaments around the world compared to the more US-centric PGA Tour Credit: Reuters 6 Talor Gooch is another relatively famous teammate of his at Smash GC Credit: Reuters NET WORTH McDowell's become a somewhat peripheral figure in playing terms ever since Playing on Multiple sites such as and estimate his net worth to be around $40million. This leaves him trailing only McIlroy in COMMENTARY PRAISE Despite only being a quarter of the way into this year's final Major, he's proven a hit with viewers as a co-commentator. Among the online posts hailing his insight on Thursday, the GolfisLife account hailed: "Graeme McDowell is doing a great job on the Open broadcast as the in-booth player commentary. "It is amazing the booth crew are also being respectful on LIV and asking about LIV. This plus 19 LIV guys in the field it seems very appropriate." Similarly, Golf Monthly tweeted: "Very much enjoyed listening to Graeme McDowell in the booth today." To which Terry agreed: "Yes. Him and Faldo commentate without eulogising or speculating, the twin curses of most the others." Lastly, Luke reckoned: "One thing many missed in the division of golf is that great people & their ability to article the game went to LIV. "Players like Mickelson, McDowell & Casey would all make exceptional broadcasters & it was moronic to initially blackball them."
