Graeme McDowell has been suspended for one tournament and been fined $125,000 for violating LIV Golf's anti-doping program.
The league announced McDowell violated the proram at the LIV Golf Nashville tournament in June by using a decongestant medicine that included a banned substance, R-methamphetamine (levo-methamphetamine).
McDowell will be ineligible to play at next week's LIV Golf Greenbrier in West Virginia. In addition to the $125,000 fine to McDowell, the results of LIV Golf Nashville have been adjusted to reflect a disqualification for McDowell in the individual competition and for his team, Smash, in the team competition. The prize-money payout and the releated LIV Golf League points have been adjusted as well.
McDowell finished tied for 42nd place in the Nashville event, while Smash finished 12th out of 13 teams in the competition.
"Ahead of LIV Golf Nashville, I was struggling with severe congestion that was affecting my sleep. In an effort to manage it, I used a generic Vicks nasal decongestant without realizing it might be on the banned list," said McDowell in part in a statement released on social media.
"As a professional golfer, I understand the importance of checking all medications and the option to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Unfortunately, I did not think to do this due to the over the counter nature of this medicine, and I deeply regret the oversight. I fully accept the sanctions imposed by LIV."
— Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) August 11, 2024
McDowell will be replaced at LIV Golf Greenbrier by a player to be announced. McDowell will return at LIV Golf Chicago, which is the final individual event of the 14-tournament schedule.
