John Catlin sprays Brooks Koepka of Smash GC with champagne in celebration on the 18th green. (Photo by Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf)
By LIV golf staff
Smash GC Captain Brooks Koepka extended his LIV Golf record by winning LIV Golf Greenbrier for his fifth individual title. For the third time, he won via playoff. But his victory Sunday at The Old White course was a bit more special, given the opponent.
Koepka beat Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm on the first playoff hole with par in a thrilling finish. It’s the first time the two have dueled since Rahm joined LIV Golf in the offseason, and it was reminiscent of the final round at the 2023 Masters – only with a different outcome.
Koepka has now won five of the 31 LIV Golf regular-season tournaments that he’s played. No other player has won more than three times. He said Sunday’s win was his favorite.
“I think this one just meant a little bit more, for the last few years playing Jon and obviously he got the better of me at Augusta,” Koepka said. “I just wanted to beat him. He played phenomenal today. The way he finished down the stretch was pretty clutch, and it was fun to watch him this week.”
Koepka’s Smash team also claimed the team title, tying a LIV Golf record with a 53 under total counting score to beat Ripper GC by three shots. Koepka and Jason Kokrak led the team with 7-under 63s, with Talor Gooch shooting 69. Reserve player John Catlin, filling in for Graeme McDowell, shot a 67.
Rahm rallied past Koepka to win the Masters last year and was hoping to claim his second consecutive LIV Golf title, having won in England three weeks ago. He entered the final round with a two-shot lead, but Koepka caught him after six holes.
From there, the two went back-and-forth while others joined the fray, including 51-year-old Richard Bland, who briefly had the outright lead after an eagle at the 12th hole.
Koepka made three straight birdies on his back nine and led by two shots with three to play. But Rahm caught him with birdies at 16 and 17.
They both parred the 157-yard par-3 18th, and then played the hole again in the playoff. Koepka’s tee shot left him with a 25-foot birdie putt while Rahm found the back bunker, leaving him with an awkward lie on the short side. He blasted out to 23 feet past the pin. But after Koepka missed his birdie attempt, Rahm could not save par.
“We’ve gone head-to-head a few times, and it’s always a fun one for the spectators,” said a disappointed Rahm. “It’s fun for us and obviously more fun for whoever wins, but it always seems to come down the stretch. Last time I had a putt to win it on 18, and this time he was the one that ended up winning.”
Rahm did have a significant accomplishment despite coming up short, as he overtook Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann in season-long points. Those two will battle it out for the 2024 Individual Championship next month at LIV Golf Chicago, while Koepka has an outside shot at the bonus-paying third place.
“There’s still obviously a lot of good things to think about,” Rahm said. “But right now it hurts more than anything.”
As for Koepka, there’s nothing he can do now about a disappointing major season, but he has a chance to finish 2024 with more champagne celebrations, especially if his Smash team can claim the Team Championship in Dallas.
“This year has not been very good,” Koepka said. “It’s nice to kind of try to end it on a high note. Obviously, we’ve got two events left, so we’ll see what we can do.”
