Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau finally converted a 36-hole lead into a LIV Golf victory on Sunday. His teammate Charles Howell III, though, didn’t make it easy 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 individual title by two shots at LIV Golf Korea presented by Coupang Play. His Crushers made it a sweep of the trophies at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea by rallying past Smash GC to win the team title.
“Charles and I had a great battle out there,” said DeChambeau, who finished at 19 under. “He never wavered today. It was fun and we had a great time today, but it was intense. Super-intense.”
The individual victory is DeChambeau’s third in LIV Golf, but his first since 2023 – and his first after entering the final round with the lead. Recent Sundays have ended in disappointment, both in the previous two LIV Golf events in Miami and Mexico City in which DeChambeau led after 36 holes, as well as last month’s Masters in which he led with 16 holes left.
He entered Sunday with a healthy four-shot lead, but Howell – starting the day five back – opened with three consecutive birdies and was four under at the turn. Meanwhile, DeChambeau suffered his only bogey of the week at the par-4 sixth and made the turn at even par, his lead reduced to one.
While other players sought to make some noise – 4Aces GC’s Thomas Pieters birdied five of his first six holes while Smash’s Talor Gooch finished strong – the individual title eventually came down to the two Crushers teammates and close friends.
Both turned up the heat on the back nine, with DeChambeau making birdies on four of his next six holes while Howell strung together five consecutive birdies. With three holes remaining, the two were tied at 17 under. But Howell suffered his only bogey of the day after his tee shot found a fairway bunker at the 16th. DeChambeau followed by creating some much-needed breathing room at the 17th, rolling in a 48-foot birdie putt at the 17th before letting out a roar and pumping his fists, a celebration that had been building since his recent near-misses.
DeChambeau then managed to stay out of trouble – barely – with his tee shot at the par-5 18th, ending the round with a birdie and a big sigh of relief.
“I feel like I’ve been playing some great golf, but I just haven’t gotten the job done,” DeChambeau said. “That was a lot of tension. Just glad I was able to step up to the plate and get it done. I was personally pretty nervous on the front nine for whatever reason. … Finally on 17, the bubble burst and I felt really good.”
For Howell, the performance confirms that he’s all the way back from the stress fracture in his left tibia that knocked him out of action for three months in the middle of last season. The solo second is his first podium result since winning in Mayakoba to start the 2023 season.
“I knew today would be a tough day to catch Bryson and even to try to beat him, but I gave it my best,” Howell said. “I definitely would’ve thought 9-under would have done it, and clearly it didn’t. … Any time you shoot 9-under par in the last group, and you still don’t win, it’s a tough day.”
Said DeChambeau: “I’m so proud of Chuckie, the way he fought out there today. Seeing that type of grit, oh my gosh, that’s why I have him on the team. That’s why I love every one of them.”
The other two Crushers also showed plenty of grit. Paul Casey opened with a 4-over 76 but shot 71-67 over the weekend to tie for 29th. Anirban Lahiri shot a 72 on Sunday, rebounding from his 79 the day before that included a horrible break when an approach shot bounced off the flagstick and rolled across the green into a water hazard, resulting in a double bogey and derailing his momentum.
As a team, the Crushers shot 20 under on Sunday, 12 shots better than any other foursome in the final round, to win by nine shots over Smash.
“I really wanted to get on that podium for the team,” Lahiri said. “I had a tough weekend, but Paul and I were both grinding out there.”
Added Casey: “Charles and Bryson won this for us. Our job was to not mess it up, if I’m being honest.”
DeChambeau was also honest when asked about his team’s first victory of this season.
“The future’s bright for the Crushers,” he said. “I’m just excited to be part of this story. This is so awesome. That’s what LIV is all about.”
Leave a comment