'It Is Something I've Had To Figure Out A Little Bit' - Major Winner Reveals Early LIV Golf Struggles After Joining League

Throughout its short history, many players have joined the LIV Golf League for various reasons.

Some have joined for financial gain, some with the intention of growing the game, while some have joined due to the appeal of a shorter playing schedule.

All have created talking points but, it's the latter, that affects the golf game most, with some claiming a shorter schedule helps in terms of playing the big events, while some say a more compact schedule creates rust.

Certainly, changing from the 12-month schedule of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, to the six-month schedule of the LIV Golf League can be challenging, as Graeme McDowell found out.

Speaking at LIV Golf Virginia, McDowell, who fired a four-under-par first round, stated that: "I have to say my first couple seasons on LIV, I struggled with it honestly. I struggled with having as much time off as we do have."

McDowell, who has played the majority of the LIV Golf League events since the first in 2022, then went on to add: "I'm used to playing 25 to 30 times a year, and all of a sudden, I think I played 16 times last year. So that's a lot less volume for me.

"It's a two-sided coin because less volume means more time to kind of look after your body, look after your health, mentally more than anything perhaps.

"But at the same time, like you say, it's easy to come out here and maybe not be as sharp as you need to be."

In terms of LIV's schedule for 2025, there are a total of 14 tournaments which take place from February to August.

What's more, LIV players can play in Asian Tour tournaments, including the 10 Signature Events, as well as the possibility of invites to DP World Tour tournaments.

"I played the US Open qualifier on a Monday, which I saw as a big benefit," explained McDowell. "(It's) 36 holes with a card in your pocket coming into a week like this after four weeks off.

"I really felt like that was a big help because at least I came out of there disappointed not to play better, but I came out of there knowing where my game was coming into this weekend. Probably a little sharper than I would have been without that.

"It is something I've had to figure out a little bit the last couple seasons. I feel like I'm getting better at it. I used to wonder how Tiger (Woods) did it. Obviously he was really good, so that helped. But to play as little as he did and to show up kind of so sharp and so ready to play, it's an art form.

"It's something I struggled with early on in my LIV career, and I feel like I'm starting to get my head around it a little bit. I'm doing a better job of showing up after two, three weeks off ready to go."

Having missed out on a spot at the US Open, an event McDowell won in 2010, via final qualifying, the 45-year-old's attention turns to not just the LIV Golf League, but also Open Championship final qualifying.

Confirming he will be playing at Royal Cinque Ports on Tuesday 1st July, McDowell is hoping to claim one of the coveted spots to the final men's Major of the season, which takes place in his home town of Portrush.

"With The Open going back to Royal Portrush this year, it's been a big focus. I went to Macau chasing a few of those spots, didn't get it done there. Like you said, I'll play Dallas and fly straight to London, and I'll go down to the qualifier.

"I'm going to Royal Cinque Ports on the Tuesday right after Dallas. Maybe not the best prep in the world coming from Dallas to London, but I'll be pretty fired up.

"It was a dream come true to be there in '19... I'm excited. It will certainly be bittersweet to not be there, but I'll definitely be giving it my full attention and be trying hard.

"It would be amazing. I mean, it's going to be, with everything that Rory's done this year, with Shane being the defending champion, to go back to Portrush, it's going to be a special week. It goes without saying that I'd love to be a part of it."