INCHEON, South Korea — Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau lastly transformed a 36-hole lead right into a LIV Golf victory on Sunday. His teammate Charles Howell III, although, didn’t make it straightforward for him.
DeChambeau countered Howell’s final-round 9-under 63 with a 6-under 66 in a spirited back-nine final-group duel to win the person title by two pictures at LIV Golf Korea introduced by Coupang Play. His Crushers made it a sweep of the trophies at Jack Nicklaus Golf Membership Korea by rallying previous Smash GC to win the staff title.
“Charles and I had an awesome battle on the market,” mentioned DeChambeau, who completed at 19 beneath. “He by no means wavered in the present day. It was enjoyable and we had a good time in the present day, nevertheless it was intense. Tremendous-intense.”
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The person victory is DeChambeau’s third in LIV Golf, however his first since 2023 – and his first after coming into the ultimate spherical with the lead. Latest Sundays have led to disappointment, each within the earlier two LIV Golf occasions in Miami and Mexico Metropolis through which DeChambeau led after 36 holes, in addition to final month’s Masters through which he led with 16 holes left.
He entered Sunday with a wholesome four-shot lead, however Howell – beginning the day 5 again – opened with three consecutive birdies and was 4 beneath on the flip. In the meantime, DeChambeau suffered his solely bogey of the week on the par-4 sixth and made the flip at even par, his lead decreased to at least one.
Whereas different gamers sought to make some noise — 4Aces GC’s Thomas Pieters birdied 5 of his first six holes whereas Smash’s Talor Gooch completed robust – the person title finally got here all the way down to the 2 Crushers teammates and shut pals.
Each turned up the warmth on the again 9, with DeChambeau making birdies on 4 of his subsequent six holes whereas Howell strung collectively 5 consecutive birdies. With three holes remaining, the 2 have been tied at 17 beneath. However Howell suffered his solely bogey of the day after his tee shot discovered a fairway bunker on the sixteenth. DeChambeau adopted by creating some much-needed respiratory room on the seventeenth, rolling in a 48-foot birdie putt on the seventeenth earlier than letting out a roar and pumping his fists, a celebration that had been constructing since his latest near-misses.
DeChambeau then managed to remain out of hassle – barely – together with his tee shot on the par-5 18th, ending the spherical with a birdie and an enormous sigh of aid.
“I really feel like I’ve been taking part in some nice golf, however I simply haven’t gotten the job carried out,” DeChambeau mentioned. “That was loads of pressure. Simply glad I used to be in a position to step as much as the plate and get it carried out. … I used to be personally fairly nervous on the entrance 9 for no matter cause. … Lastly, on 17, the bubble burst and I felt actually good.”
For Howell, the efficiency confirms that he’s all the way in which again from the stress fracture in his left tibia that knocked him out of motion for 3 months in the midst of final season. The solo second is his first podium end result since successful in Mayakoba to start out the 2023 season.
“I knew in the present day could be a tricky day to catch Bryson and even to attempt to beat him, however I gave it my greatest,” Howell mentioned. “I undoubtedly would’ve thought 9-under would have carried out it, and clearly it didn’t. … Any time you shoot 9-under par within the final group, and you continue to don’t win, it’s a tricky day.”
Mentioned DeChambeau: “I’m so happy with Chuckie, the way in which he fought on the market in the present day. Seeing that kind of grit, oh my gosh, that’s why I’ve him on the staff. That’s why I really like each considered one of them.”
The opposite two Crushers additionally confirmed loads of grit. Paul Casey opened with a 4-over 76 however shot 71-67 over the weekend to tie for twenty ninth. Anirban Lahiri shot a 72 on Sunday, rebounding from his 79 the day earlier than that included a horrible break when an method shot bounced off the flagstick and rolled throughout the inexperienced right into a water hazard, leading to a double bogey and derailing his momentum.
As a staff, the Crushers shot 20 beneath on Sunday, 12 pictures higher than another foursome within the last spherical, to win by 9 pictures over Smash.
“I actually wished to get on that podium for the staff,” Lahiri mentioned. “I had a tricky weekend, however Paul and I have been each grinding on the market.”
Added Casey: “Charles and Bryson gained this for us. Our job was to not mess it up, if I’m being trustworthy.”
DeChambeau was additionally trustworthy when requested about his staff’s first victory of this season.
“The longer term’s vibrant for the Crushers,” he mentioned. “I’m simply excited to be a part of this story. That is so superior. That’s what LIV is all about.”
TEAM SCORES
LIV Golf’s new scoring format this season now includes all 4 scores now counting in each spherical within the staff competitors. Listed below are the ultimate outcomes and scores for every staff after Sunday’s Spherical 3 of LIV Golf Korea.
1. CRUSHERS GC -35 (Howell III 63, DeChambeau 66, Casey 67, Lahiri 72; Rd. 3 rating: -20)2. SMASH GC -26 (Gooch 66, Koepka 70, McDowell 70, Kokrak 77; Rd. 3 rating: -5)3. TORQUE GC -18 (Pereira 69, Ortiz 71, Muñoz 72, Niemann 73; Rd. 3 rating: -3)4. RANGEGOATS GC -14 (Wolff 67, Uihlein 72, Watson 73, M. Kim 77; Rd. 3 rating: +1)T5. RIPPER GC -13 (Leishman 69, Smith 69, Jones 70, Herbert 72; Rd. 3 rating: -8)T5. LEGION XIII -13 (Rahm 70, Hatton 71, McKibbin 72, Surratt 72; Rd. 3 rating: -3)T5. STINGER GC -13 (Catlin 69, Oosthuizen 72, Schwartzel 73, Burmester 74; Rd. 3 rating: E)8. 4ACES GC -12 (Reed 65, Pieters 68, Johnson 74, Varner III 74; Rd. 3 rating: -7)9. MAJESTICKS GC -7 (Poulter 68, Stenson 70, Horsfield 71, Westwood 78; Rd. 3 rating: -1)10. FIREBALLS GC -5 (Garcia 69, Masaveu 69, Ancer 71, Puig 73; Rd. 3 rating: -6)11. HYFLYERS GC -2 (Ogletree 67, Tringale 67, Steele 75, Mickelson 78; Rd. 3 rating: -1)12. CLEEKS GC +4 (Kaymer 70, Bland 73, Kjettrup 75, Meronk 76; Rd. 3 rating: +6)13. IRON HEADS GC +8 (Kozuma 70, Jang 74, Na 75, Lee 78; Rd. 3 rating: +9)Wild Playing cards: C. Lee 70. A. Kim 74
This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in partnership with LIV Golf.
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