Graeme McDowell upbeat on golf’s future amid ongoing PGA Tour-LIV Golf talks

Three-time Ryder Cup winner McDowell has been part of the LIV circuit since its formation in 2022.

Having been re-signed by Brooks Koepka’s Smash GC team, one of the Northern Irishman’s key objectives this year is to qualify for the Open Championship, which returns to Royal Portrush in July.

McDowell was the only player from Northern Ireland to make the cut when his home town staged the Open in 2019.

The 45-year-old’s lifelong association with Royal Portrush has been strengthened further after a hole on the Valley Links course was named after him, which he said was a “great honour”.

In terms of the Open, McDowell has several opportunities to secure his place in this year’s field, starting with the International Series Macau on the Asian Tour in March, which has three qualifying spots up for grabs.

“It’s extremely important to me [to qualify],” said McDowell, whose last professional win came in February 2020.

“I’ve got a busy enough six months coming up but the major championships remain the most important events in the world.

“I’ve done all I can in the past three or four years to qualify for the Open and the US Open via the different routes and with the Open being at Portrush this year, it cranks up the intensity a little bit higher for me.

“I’m looking all over the world to see where there might be an opportunity and trying to go that extra mile to try and get into that tournament.”