Gooch statements back-to-again LIV Golfing titles with Singapore earn

SINGAPORE (AP) — Talor Gooch became the initial participant to get back-to-back LIV Golf titles after a playoff gap victory from Sergio Garcia at the LIV Singapore match at Sentosa Golf Club on Sunday.

Gooch and Garcia shadowed each individual other for most of the opening two rounds and the final spherical was no unique, with both the American and Spaniard by no means much more than stroke aside as they concluded at 17-under 196 to force a playoff.

At the very first playoff gap, the par-5 18th, Gooch skirted with the drinking water hazard with his tee shot but performed a close to best second shot into the coronary heart of the green in which he effortlessly two-putted for birdie.

Garcia’s 2nd shot at the playoff hole uncovered the greenside bunker and the Spaniard was unable to make his birdie supplying Gooch his next successive earn and a $4 million prize.

For Gooch, it’s the ninth time he’s either led or shared a guide right after an LIV spherical, the most of any player. He’s now led or shared the guide in the very last six rounds.

2 times LIV Golf tournament winner Brooks Koepka shot 67 to end 3rd at 16-beneath 197, a person shot forward of Scott Vincent (67) of Zimbabwe, who had briefly threatened to make it a four-way battle for the title just before a bogey at the par-4 15th stalled his momentum.

British Open up winner Cam Smith (71) finished in a tie for sixth right after he combined normal birdies with bogeys for an even closing spherical and an overall rating of 12-beneath 201.

Phil Mickelson shot a 72, with two double bogeys in his final round, to tumble down the leaderboard into a tie for 13th.

Like the initially round, the ultimate spherical Sunday was delayed for a lot more than an hour right after 13 holes of the shotgun structure owing to critical temperature in the region.

Garcia, who began his spherical on the 1st hole with Gooch in the shotgun-start out structure, birdied a few of the initial 9 holes to preserve the direct with the American, who had four birdies and a bogey just before 9 consecutive pars.

Garcia won the Singapore Open at Sentosa in 2018 and experienced performed bogey-free of charge golf in the first 47 holes but two bogeys at the par-4 12th and 15th hampered his efforts of a repeat victory listed here.

Tale continues

At the par-5 18th in regulation, Gooch experienced 41-foot putt for eagle which narrowly skipped to the still left of the cup. The 31-12 months-previous American very easily built his birdie to place the force back again on Garcia.

The Spaniard responded by calmly earning birdie from 11 toes to power the playoff.

The future event is at Tulsa, Oklahoma beginning Could 12.

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