Graeme McDowell, a professional golfer from LIV, has found himself embroiled in a scandal this weekend following a failed drug test. McDowell took to social media on Sunday to address his violation, attributing it to the use of a nasal spray. In addition to pointing fingers at the PGA Tour, McDowell’s post also hinted at an ongoing rivalry. As a consequence of his actions, McDowell has been suspended from participating in one LIV Golf tournament and has been slapped with a substantial fine of $125k. Furthermore, both his individual and team performances will be nullified from the recent LIV Nashville tournament. McDowell will also be absent from an upcoming event in West Virginia but will become eligible to compete in Chicago in September. In a statement released on Sunday, McDowell took full responsibility for the violation.
While his Instagram post provided followers with an overview of the situation, it was comparatively milder than the comments made on X. Notably, McDowell’s remarks in the second paragraph directly criticized the PGA Tour, causing an immediate online backlash. Critics accused McDowell of using the incident as a means of promoting the interests of the Saudis and condemned the statement for its propagandistic nature.
McDowell boasts an impressive record, with 18 tournament victories, including four on the PGA Tour and eleven on the European Tour. He joined LIV in 2022 after securing the title of US Open champion in 2010. However, this recent controversy has reignited tensions between McDowell and his former league, highlighting an unnecessary animosity.
Photo from Graeme McDowell Instagram
