LIV Golf Pro Takes a Risky Call, Ignoring Caddie Advice, and Gets the Last Laugh

Mar 7, 2026, 6:08 AM CUT

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Graeme McDowell made a risky bet on himself at LIV Golf Hong Kong. Ignoring his caddie Ken Comboy’s advice on a crucial par-3, McDowell trusted his gut. The decision paid off in spectacular fashion on the par-3 fifth.

“My caddie was trying to steer me a little left of the flag, and I said to him, I think we have enough club in our hands to kind of go after it a little bit. I didn't really listen to him,” McDowell said during the press conference at LIV Golf Hong Kong on Friday.

At the fifth hole at Fanling during the second round of the LIV Golf Hong Kong, Graeme McDowell hit a seven-iron from about 192 yards and aimed at the pin instead of following caddie Ken Comboy’s suggestion to play left.

The 2010 U.S. Open winner's decision paid off as the shot went straight into the hole for a hole-in-one. It marked the 15th ace of McDowell’s career and the 14th in LIV Golf history.

The shot also contributed to his second-round score at the LIV Golf Hong Kong. McDowell shot a seven-under 63 on Friday and moved to 10-under after two rounds.

He opened with a 67 in the first round and followed it with a 63 to reach a total of 130, leaving him tied for eighth place heading into the final rounds. At the moment, he's playing the third round, trailing behind Dean Burmester, who has a score of 126.

The 46-year-old also recalled the reaction from his playing group as the ball traveled toward the hole.

Graeme McDowell on the moment Wade Ormsby reacted to the shot

While the shot went against Graeme McDowell's caddie’s advice, Wade Ormsby was quick to react as the ball traveled toward the hole.

During the second round, Wade Ormsby was playing in the same group as Graeme McDowell and was the first to react to the shot.

McDowell recalled: “I think Wade Ormsby was in the group and he kind of early called it,” indicating that he believed the ball was on line before it reached the hole.

McDowell and Ormsby were paired with Lee Westwood. McDowell said they discussed that they might have been the oldest group on the course.

What do you think, was trusting Graeme McDowell's own instinct over his caddie the right call?

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar