![Johnson lifts LIV Tulsa trophy on eve of PGA Championship Johnson lifts LIV Tulsa trophy on eve of PGA Championship](https://www.kuwaittimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/6504.jpg)
LOS ANGELES: Two-time primary champion Dustin Johnson nabbed his 2nd LIV Golfing name Sunday, edging Cameron Smith and Branden Grace in a playoff at Cedar Ridge Nation Membership close to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Johnson birdied his ultimate hollow in legislation to get into the playoff then birdied the par-four 18th with a putt from off the golf green. South Africa’s Grace had putted first within the playoff, additionally from the perimeter, narrowly lacking.
Australia’s British Open champion Smith was once closest to the opening, however his putt was once by no means not off course. Johnson scooped the $4 million first prize from the $25 million handbag and joined Talor Gooch – winner of the former two occasions – and Brooks Koepka as two-time winners within the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit’s first 14 occasions. The previous international primary had claimed his first LIV name at Boston remaining yr. Atop the leaderboard going into the 3rd and ultimate spherical, Johnson shook off triple-bogey at the tenth hollow to card a three-under 67 to enroll in Grace and Smith on 17-under.
“Clearly when I made seven on 10 – the whole thing I may just do improper I did improper at the hollow – however to combat again and birdie 18 two occasions in a row, I’m in point of fact proud of that,” Johnson stated. Smith, 5 again with 9 to play, carded a bogey-free nine-under par 61 whilst Grace – who shot 61 within the first spherical – closed with a five-under 65. Grace helped South Africa’s Stinger group, headed by way of Louis Oosthuizen, to seize the group name with a 40-under par general.
The following LIV match is at Trump Nationwide in Washington in two weeks. However subsequent week Johnson and Smith will probably be amongst 18 LIV rebels teeing it up in the second one primary of the season, the PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Rochester, New York.
LIV, bankrolled by way of Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund, break up the game remaining yr by way of luring away best stars from america PGA Excursion and the DP Global Excursion with profitable contracts.
Day will get first win
In every other construction, Australian Jason Day clinched his first PGA Excursion victory in over 5 years on Sunday, profitable the Byron Nelson match with a nine-under-part 62 at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. The 35-year-old had no longer gained for the reason that Wells Fargo Championship in Might of 2018 however his birdie at the par-5final hollow earned him a one stroke win over South Korea’s Kim Si-woo and American Austin Eckroat.
Day’s first ever win at the PGA Excursion had are available in the similar match 13 years in the past, albeit at a special venue in suburban Dallas. “It’s been a suffering few years, 5 years since our remaining win. The best way I performed nowadays was once in point of fact particular. I’m very happy and comfortable with how issues have advanced during the last couple of years – 1,835 days to be precise,” he stated. Day completed 23-under for the week as he ended a run of 105 begins and not using a win. Day stated struggling with in opposition to a again damage had hampered his shape however that his choice had helped him get again to his perfect.
“Simply continuous grinding and continuous in need of to reinforce and to check out and get well. Numerous accidents with my again… simply looking to get via the ones 3 years, simply looking to get via a match was once tough,” he stated. “So, to be at the different facet of it, to be wholesome…in point of fact profitable once more. It’s so excellent to be at the different facet,” he stated. Day discovered his momentum with 3 instantly bridies from the 3rd hollow onwards and the spotlight of his spherical was once chipping in from 37 ft for a birdie at the par-4 twelfth.
With Kim having taken a percentage of the lead, one hollow in entrance of him, with a birdie at the 18th, Day knew {that a} par would handiest be sufficient for a playoff with the Korean. The Australian rose to the problem with a excellent 80-yard method shot at the ultimate hollow touchdown two ft from the opening for a easy birdie and the win. Eckroat, within the ultimate crew, was once left wanting an eagle to power a playoff with Day, however his method went over the again of the golf green and he needed to accept birdie and a spherical of 65. — AFP
Scheffler falls quick
“The whole thing was once forged, and I in point of fact felt like I performed neatly sufficient to win. It’s simply laborious to overcome a man that is going out and shoots 9-under,” stated the 24-year-old. Pan Cheng Tsung of Taiwan matched Day’s ultimate spherical with a excellent, career-low 62 to complete in fourth position on 21-under. He completed his spherical in excellent taste – riding the golf green at the 305-yard par-4 14th and sinking a 24 footer for eagle after which he made every other eagle at the 18th introduced him inside a shot of Day. After his disappointing 3rd spherical 71, international quantity two Scottie Scheffler had threatened, attaining the flip with 4 birdies, however he needed to accept a percentage of 5th position after lacking a easy birdie putt at the remaining. — AFP