‘The amount of s*** written about me is something I’ve never had to deal with’: Graeme McDowell admits his legacy has been tainted ‘in the short term’ over his decision to join LIV Golf but insists the narrative ‘will have to change’ about the series
- Graeme McDowell is one of the biggest names to have joined the LIV Golf series
- He and others have faced heavy criticism for taking part in the Saudi-led series
- McDowell is not expecting to compete at The Open due to a ban against players
- He insists the narrative surrounding the series will have to change in the future
Graeme McDowell has insisted he’s not sorry for joining the controversial LIV Golf series but admitted his decision has tainted his legacy ‘in the short term’.
Players have been criticised for joining the series, given that the funding comes from the Saudi Arabian government.
McDowell is one of the biggest names to have joined the series and has told the Irish Independent that he has ‘never had to deal’ with the criticism thrown his way currently.
He said that he was not sorry to join the series, but when asked if his legacy had been tainted he added: ‘In the short term it’s tainted because the narrative is so negative.
‘Eventually that narrative will have to change. How many top players are going to have to play in this thing and create a product to where you guys will start talking about golf?
‘I get it. The amount of s*** that’s been written about me the last six weeks, it’s something I have never had to deal with in my golfing career before.’
Graeme McDowell has faced heavy criticism for joining the Saudi backed LIV Golf series
When asked if his decision to join the LIV Golf series was difficult, he responded: ‘Yeah, it was very difficult. You know, there were a lot of pros and there were a lot of cons. You had to make your peace with the negative side of things.
‘The hardest thing for me the last three or four weeks is the negative fallout and being linked to comments, where all you’re trying to do is say the right things and do the right thing for a golf organisation that are giving us a phenomenal opportunity.
‘All the tenuous links to the things that these guys have allegedly done when we know that the links are, like I say, tenuous at best. It doesn’t mean everyone is Saudi Arabia is a bad person, you know what I’m saying.
McDowell is unlikely to take part in the Open as he is banned for the Scottish Open
‘These guys are running a very, very lucrative golf product which is being phenomenally well staged, taking great care of the players and the players are loving it and so many good things are happening.
‘But the negativity doesn’t make you proud of yourself every day. You wake up. Hopefully the narrative will change to golf soon and we can get on with it.’
When told the issue is to do with the Saudi ‘regime’ and being paid by them, he added: ‘I’m not sure guys are necessarily saying good things about the regime. I think we are focussing on the good things that the golf is doing. You know, I’m not in a position to comment on the regime. I don’t know enough about it.’
McDowell (right) says the public narrative will have to change about the LIV Golf series
Criticism was thrown in the direction of McDowell for his comments last month saying he was ‘proud to help Saudi Arabia’ through his involvement with LIV Golf.
Having failed to qualify for the US Open, he has resigned to missing The Open next week too, insisting he won’t tee it up even if an injunction by the 16 rebels challenging a ban on their playing this week’s Scottish Open comes through.
The DP World Tour has banned players fined the Saudi-backed LIV rebels £100,000 apiece and banned them from taking part in the Scottish Open.
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