NORTHERN IRISH GOLFER Graeme McDowell has admitted that not being able to captain Europe at the Ryder Cup later in his career would be 'incredibly disappointing'.
The Portrush native was one of several golfers that defected to the new Saudi-funded golf league LIV Golf last year.
McDowell and the other golfers who made the move received huge sums to play in several LIV events in 2022, but the move came with a cost.
Those who have chosen to defect to the Saudi-backed series have since been suspended by the PGA Tour, with a legal dispute between the two circuits ongoing to this day.
At the moment and time, the likes of McDowell, Sergio Garcia, and other golfers will not be allowed to compete in this year's Ryder Cup at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Guidonia Montecelio near Rome.
McDowell has represented Europe on four occasions and had been tipped to be future captain when the event heads to Adare Manor in 2027 admits his chances of captaining Europe have decreased since he made the controversial move to Greg Norman's new venture.
Speaking to @5ClubsGolf, McDowell discussed the difficult decision to join LIV Golf and potentially end his Ryder Cup captaincy chances https://t.co/U939CDFAVV
— Golf Monthly (@GolfMonthly) February 16, 2023
"Are my chances greatly reduced now of ever being a part of a Ryder Cup team in any level? Yeah, of course," said the golfer on the 5 Clubs podcast.
The golfer has also envisioned a reality where he has led Europe to victory next year, but has admitted that not being able to do so would be one of the biggest disappointments of his career.
"I picture myself standing there on the stage giving the opening speech looking at my team behind me. I mean, beautiful. You know, I've got a tear in my eye just thinking about it. But that wasn't a guarantee, it wasn't a given, "he added
"If I'm old and grey and 75-years-old and I look back and I never had the shot, I never captained a European team I will be incredibly disappointed."
The Ryder Cup takes from Friday, Sep 29, 2023, to Sunday October 1, 2023.
