LIV golfer Graeme McDowell wasn’t named as a vice-captain for Luke Donald’s European Ryder Cup team and seems unlikely to make it as a player despite practically begging for a spot

Graeme McDowell at a recent LIV Golf event(Image: Getty Images)

While American captain Keegan Bradley has already filled out his Ryder Cup team (and it won’t include him). Team Europe captain Luke Donald won’t be picking his remaining six qualifiers for his team until Monday.

Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell, currently a LIV golfer, wasn’t named as a vice captain — those positions went to Edoardo Molinari, Thomas Bjorn, Jose Maria Olazabal and Francesco Molinari — but he admitted in a recent interview that he was desperate to be part of the team.

“Jon Rahm asked me earlier this year if I was asked to be a vice-captain at Bethpage Black would I accept it. I replied if they asked me to make coffees for you, I would go and make coffees,” McDowell admitted to BBC Sport after Donald filled out his team.

“That’s how much it means to me and how much I want to be there in a supporting role for Team Europe,” the Northern Irishman added.

Six are already confirmed for Donald’s team: Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, and Rasmus Hojgaard.

If he won’t be part of the team going to Bethpage Black this year, McDowell would like to be considered for the unit traveling to Adre Manor in 2027.

Luke Donald is set to captain Team Euorpe at the Ryder Cup(Image: Getty Images)

“It goes without saying as we look towards Adare Manor in two years’ time I would do anything to be in that European team room, to be part of that team, to put that team Europe shirt on one more time, to have the badge on my chest, to cheer the guys on and help Europe win another Ryder Cup,” he said.

McDowell has represented Team Europe on four occasions at the Ryder Cup, including in 2023 when he helped his side wrangle the trophy back from the Americans with a win in Rome, Italy.

“I wish Team Europe all the best at Bethpage Black,” he added. “I will be pulling for them every shot and wish I was there, but the politics is a lot of levels above what I do, it’s definitely the powers that be that will figure this out for us.”

McDowell hasn’t had the strongest year: he boasts just three top-25 finishes in 15 events, having made the cut at seven of them (all in LIV Golf). For his career, the Northern Irishman has won four PGA events.