Graeme McDowell’s LIV Golf Replacement Confirmed After Nasal Spray Ban
There has been a reshuffling of the teams in the LIV Golf League after McDowell was suspended for one tournament


Graeme McDowell's replacement for LIV Golf Greenbrier has been confirmed after the Northern Irishman was banned for one tournament as a result of violating the league's anti-doping policy.
McDowell revealed on social media that he had been randomly selected for a test as part of LIV's anti-doping program and "had mistakenly used an over-the-counter medicated decongestant stick for congestion that included a banned substance" - resulting in a positive test for R-methamphetamine.
He will now miss the penultimate event in LIV's regular season and has been fined $125,000 as well as having to hand back the $128,000 he won at LIV Golf Nashville. McDowell's individual results and his team's total that week has also been disqualified, with prize money and points retroactively adjusted.
With the 2010 US Open champion temporarily out of the picture, Golf Monthly has been told that John Catlin will tee it up for Smash GC this weekend, moving over from Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers GC - where he had been covering for the injured Charles Howell III.
However, with the American back to full health and ready for a first appearance since LIV Golf Singapore in May, Catlin was set to lose a tee time with the PIF-backed competition until news of McDowell's misdemeanour broke on Sunday.
pic.twitter.com/y2jwwlndhAAugust 11, 2024
Catlin - who is in line to earn a full-time LIV Golf spot next season anyway thanks to leading the Asian Tour's Order of Merit and International Series Rankings - has risen up the LIV Golf money list quite quickly in just four starts having banked a little over $1million.
He earned $182,500 for a 24th-place finish on his LIV Golf debut in Houston prior to picking up $562,500 after his best result so far - a T7 effort at LIV Golf Nashville. $201,667 was pocketed by Catlin as a result of finishing at LIV Golf Andalucia, and a further $145,200 came his way after a 34th-place result at LIV Golf UK last time out.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time. He attended both the 150th and 151st Open Championships and dreams of attending The Masters one day.
-
Sun Day Red Launches Azalea Gold Collection, And It Might Be The Best 'Augusta-Themed' Range We Have Seen
Tiger Woods' brand has just released the new collection and we are big fans already...
By Sam Tremlett Published
-
'I Can't Believe I'm Saying This' - Tiger Woods Hints At Shock Augusta Appearance Before Revealing True State Of His Achilles In April Fools Joke
Woods was apparently keen not to miss out on the whimsical nature of April 1 by posting a playful update on his recovery from Achilles surgery
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
'He’s Over There And We Only See Him Four Or Five Times A Year, And It’s Disappointing For All Of Us' - Curtis Strange Claims Joaquin Niemann 'Needs' To Be On The PGA Tour
Niemann has started 2025 in phenomenal fashion thanks to two victories on the LIV Golf League in three starts. However, Strange believes he should be back on the PGA Tour
By Matt Cradock Published
-
LIV Golf Unveils Its Own Version Of Creator Classic Featuring Grant Horvat, Rick Shiels, Fat Perez And Bryan Bros
Taking place at LIV Golf Miami, six players from the circuit will play alongside six of the game's biggest content creators in a nine-hole scramble event
By Matt Cradock Published
-
Carlos Ortiz 'Overjoyed' To Earn Open Championship Spot After Pulling Away From LIV Rivals During International Series Macau Victory
The Mexican finished with a blistering six-under 64 to earn his second Asian Tour prize and clinch a spot at the 153rd Open Championship
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
LIV Golf Leaderboard At International Series Macau - Open Spots Up For Grabs As Multiple LIV Pros In Contention Going Into Final Day
After a busy Moving Day at Macau Golf and Country Club, a number of LIV golfers are in contention for the victory and a potential spot at The Open Championship
By Matt Cradock Last updated
-
'If We Want To Figure Out Why The Game Of Golf Is Not Back Together, Go Ask Those Guys' - Scottie Scheffler Insists LIV Golfers To Blame For Golf's Big Divide
Scottie Scheffler reiterated his stance that LIV golfers were to blame for the continued split in men's pro golf, while insisting the PGA Tour still had a better standard
By Paul Higham Published
-
Paul McGinley Proposes ‘One Of The Things That I Think LIV Have Got Right’ To Be Applied To PGA Tour
The Golf Channel analyst thinks a key change implemented by LIV Golf could make all the difference to the PGA Tour
By Mike Hall Published
-
Joaquin Niemann Wins LIV Golf Singapore Title
The Chilean won his second LIV Golf event of the season thanks to a bogey-free 65 on Sunday in Singapore
By Elliott Heath Published
-
Jon Rahm Equals Bryson DeChambeau's LIV Golf Record After Strong Start In Singapore
The Legion XIII captain matched Bryson DeChambeau's record for consecutive scores under-par in the second round of LIV Golf Singapore
By Mike Hall Published