English tour pro reveals Graeme McDowell switching LIV Golf teams
LIV Golf's Richard Bland has offered his thoughts on Jon Rahm, Graeme McDowell's future and who will be joining the Cleeks GC for the 2024 campaign.
Die-hard Cleeks fans look away now: Graeme McDowell will be joining a different LIV Golf team in 2024.
Richard Bland confirmed McDowell will be joining a new side in the third campaign during his appearance on the Flushing It Golf podcast.
During the 56-minute conversation, the English golfer addressed his own LIV form, rumours Jon Rahm will be joining the breakaway tour, playing Augusta National with his seriously ill brother and recently going viral.
McDowell resigned his PGA Tour and DP World Tour memberships to play in the inaugural LIV event in June 2022 to avoid legal woes and financial penalties.
He was drafted onto Martin Kaymer's Cleeks GC alongside Bland and Bernd Wiesberger.
Wiesberger has now decided to return to the European-based circuit after he was given the all-clear by DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.
LIV reportedly paid a record fine of $1.5m to allow the Austrian to resume his career on the Old World circuit.
Bland confirmed McDowell has already agreed to join a different team but wouldn't reveal the name.
He also said Laurie Canter's name has been 'put forward' to replace G-Mac, with the remaining spot in the team likely to be filled by a golfer from LIV Golf Promotions.
"As far as I know I think we have put Laurie's name forward," Bland said. "As far as I know. I haven't heard of whether that is going to be accepted or not. I haven't really heard a huge amount.
"I know G-Mac will probably be on another team next year. I keep in touch with him just to see how things are going and what have you.
"I know which team it is but I'm not going to say because I don't want to get anyone into trouble.
"I really hope it works out for G-Mac. For me he deserves a spot and I know a lot of people will probably say, yes, he's not played well enough.
"G-Mac will be the first one to put his hands up to that. He's been round long enough to know how it works.
"He's good for the Tour, he's really good for the league. He's a hell of a name with a great CV behind him. He's someone you just want playing on your team."
Picture: Bernd Wiesberger
"What an addition to the league"
Of course, Bland would like to see Jon Rahm join LIV.
"If that is the case then what an addition to the league," Bland told the podcast.
"He's always been one of those players that's not really been outspoken about LIV. He's always gone, 'They're doing their thing, we're doing our thing,' and he's never had a bad word to say.
"When I've listened to him in the press he has just told it how it is, you know, he's not really got too much involved in all the crap that has gone on and things that have been said and this that and the other.
"He's just gone on about his golf which is probably why he has just played the golf he has done over the last 12 months.
"Coming into the Masters, Christ, he was a bit like Tiger. If he pegged it up, he won."
Bland said Rahm has always been a top target. "He would be an unbelievable addition to the league."
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