Brooks Koepka secured a playoff victory at The Greenbrier to win the LIV Golf Individual Championship, but teammate Graeme McDowell faces an uncertain future in the league
Brooks Koepka claimed his first win of the season on Sunday at The Greenbrier (
Image: Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
Brooks Koepka and his LIV Golf team, Smash GC, had a weekend to remember after clinching both the individual and team titles at The Greenbrier.
However, a challenging roster decision looms at the end of the season. Five-time major champion Koepka delivered an impressive seven-under-par final round in West Virginia, reaching 18-under for the week and forcing a playoff with Individual Championship leader Jon Rahm. A par on the first extra hole secured the victory for the American, netting him $4million (£3.1m) in prize money.
Koepka’s teammates provided strong support, securing a three-shot victory in the team competition over Ripper GC and splitting a further $3m (£2.3m) in prize money. Yet they were without Graeme McDowell, who was banned from the tournament for violating the league’s anti-doping policy.
McDowell tested positive for the banned substance R-methamphetamine (levo-methamphetamine) during LIV’s tournament in Nashville in June, and was penalised by the league last week. The Northern Irishman, who attributed the positive result to an over-the-counter decongestant, was fined $125,000 in addition to his one-tournament suspension.
Smash regulars Jason Kokrak and Taylor Gooch finished third and tied 11th respectively at The Greenbrier, while McDowell’s replacement carded a steady five-under-par for the week to finish in a share of 37th, contributing to a team score of 53-under.
Due to his absence from the tournament, McDowell didn’t earn any points towards the season-long order of merit, causing him to drop to 27th place in the standings. The 45-year-old now finds himself in the Open Zone, casting a shadow over his future in LIV.
Graeme McDowell was banned for The Greenbrier due to a breach of LIV’s anti-doping policy ( Jason Butler/Getty Images)
Players who secure a spot in the top 24 of the Individual Championship standings are in the Lock Zone, guaranteeing their place on their respective teams for the upcoming season.
However, those in the Open Zone essentially become free agents, leaving it up to team captain Koepka to decide whether he wants to retain McDowell unless he can pull off a significant result at the season finale at Bolingbrook Golf Club next month.
Former Ryder Cup star McDowell will return to action for the final individual event of the year, where a top-10 finish should be enough to secure his place in the top 24. But if he falters, his future in the league will be at the mercy of Koepka.
McDowell found himself in a similar predicament at the end of the previous season when he was not offered a contract extension by the Cleeks after finishing in the Open Zone, leading to speculation that he could be excluded from the breakaway league. However, he was thrown a lifeline when Koepka signed him up for Smash.
The ex-world No. 4 has had a more successful season in his third year on LIV, boasting three top-10 finishes in 10 starts, but he still needs to put in some work to secure his roster spot for the next season.
