Victorious Celtic Manor winning hero Graeme McDowell admits to having mixed emotions watching TV coverage of last week’s European Ryder Cup triumph in Rome.
“It was a little bittersweet, and I would love to have been part of what they were doing but it is what it is right now and hopefully we’ll see if we can figure that out moving forward,” said McDowell ahead of this week’s Asian Tour International Singapore.
“But obviously a great victory, congrats to Luke and the whole team they played phenomenal, it looked like a lot of fun.”
McDowell is a veteran of four Ryder Cups, three of them on winning sides including the 2010 thriller at Celtic Manor where ‘G-Mac’ secured the winning point with a dramatic victory over American Hunter Mahan.
In total, McDowell played 15 matches winning eight, losing five and halving two for an impressive 60% winning ratio.
McDowell acted as a vice-captain for Thomas Bjorn’s 2018 Versailles winning side and then in July 2019, when Adare Manor was confirmed as host venue for the 2026 Ryder Cup – subsequently moved to 2027 due to Covid – McDowell was strongly hinted as being the prime candidate to lead the European side.
“I watched a lot of it,” McDowell added.
“I missed a couple of the hours of the early sessions just due to the time zones that I was in but yeah, I watched a lot. It was good. I really enjoyed it.
“It was the first time that I’ve watched the Ryder Cup on TV. It was good. I mean, listen, it’s one of my favourite events that I’ve competed in. It’s pretty special, it’s something that I’ve got a lot of great memories from and great friendships that I have forged over the years and I was disappointed not to be there but it was great to cheer the boys on from afar!”
McDowell is no stranger to competing in Singapore and this week joins fellow major winner Charl Schwartzel teeing-up in the sweltering collection of islands that form the nation, and also spoke of his growing fondness with the LIV Golf and the 54-hole format.
“The standard is really impressive. Guys are really buying into the team stuff. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s very high level,” said McDowell.
“And I think the way Brooks has played this year, in the Major championships, tells you the kind of guys that we’re playing against week in, week out. They’re still sharp, they’re still good.
“I really truly believe that LIV has at least seven or eight of the top 25 players in the world. I may be underestimating those – we have some serious strength and it makes it difficult.
“Fifty-four doesn’t feel like it should be a huge amount of difference from 72 but to me, it changes it so much. I feel like the mentality of the 72-hole event, where you play 36 trying to make the cut, for the weekend, and then you hit the gas and maybe try to win the tournament. I feel at LIV, they’re hitting the gas from the first tee on Friday, and it’s a sprint format. It just feels totally different, and it’s been more difficult and the standard is high and it is definitely tough to compete.”
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