Graeme McDowell insists he is thriving on high expectation and the winning mentality of being around Brooks Koepka and the Smash GC team as he bids to continue his good form at LIV Golf Jeddah.
McDowell shot a best of the day 65 in the final round of LIV Las Vegas to finish 5th in the individual leaderboard and held Smash win the team prize.
It was a welcome return to form for G Mac who was sweating on his LIV future after leaving the Clerks in the offseason after a poor year saw him become a free agent.
The 2010 US Open champion (44) had had just one top 10 to that point on the Saudi backed tour, coming at LIV London in 2022 when he said he was “proud” to help Saudi Arabia use golf on their journey “to get to where they want to be.”
Finishing 5th and winning the team title in Vegas was a moment of personal pride for the 44-year-old who pocketed $1.45 million that week and he is relishing his new lease of life at Smash GC.
“I think there’s a high expectation level on the team. There’s guys here that are going to compete individually every week, and as a group I think we really feel like we can compete as a team every week, as well,” said the 2010 US Open champion ahead of LIV Golf Jeddah where the return of Anthony Kim after a 12-year disappearance has grabbed headlines.
“I think that was my best finish of my LIV career in Vegas, and I just want to try and take that confidence and belief forward and continue contributing to this team.
“Certainly not resting on our laurels of Vegas. We’re looking to the season and trying to be the best we can be every week and keep working hard, and we’ve all had some reasonably good success around this golf course. This is a week that we feel like as a team we can certainly compete.”
McDowell was part of a very average Cleeks GC team with Martin Kaymer at the wrong end of his career, Richard Bland a journeyman pro on the DP World Tour while Bernd Wiesberger wasn’t a standout LIV signing.
Then there’s Smash, headed by five-time major winner and reigning US PGA champion Brooks Koepka, three-time LIV winner Talor Gooch and Jason Kokrak. McDowell was considered very fortunate to get a place on the team but insists he is driven to contribute on a weekly basis.
“I think certainly speaking for myself, very excited to be part of this group. World-class players. I think obviously as a team, we have the expectation level to compete every week, and individually I think the momentum, the work ethic, everything that we’re doing as a group I think just drives everybody forward to compete well individually, as well.
“It’s that winning mentality. It’s that work ethic, the preparation, the competitive spirit that all four of us have, guys that know how to win. Talor won three times last year; Jason has won some great events; Brooks’ record stands for itself. I think the way he’s played the last 10 years, it’s contagious when you’re around guys that want to win that have high expectation levels that they want to achieve things. It just kind of — the rising tide kind of lifts all ships, and I’m excited to be around that winning mentality this season.”
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