LIV Golf Tour
Ripper Win For Aussies At LIV Adelaide
Thrilling. Captivating. And, dramatic. The second edition of LIV Golf Adelaide this week at the Grange Golf Club produced a sporting event to be remembered for some time.
On home soil and in front of massive crowds, Cam Smith’s Ripper Golf Club claimed the team event at the first ever LIV Golf team playoff. The all-Aussie foursome led by Queensland’s Smith includes Victorians Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert plus Matt Jones from New South Wales. All four players figured in the mix for the individual title won by America’s Brendan Steele.
Ripper GC finished at 53-under. They were matched on that tally by the fast-finishing Stinger GC outfit who surged from a six-shot deficit late into the back nine on Sunday. It was the best ever team score in the three-year history of LIV Golf.
Ripper GC’s Smith and Leishman faced off against Stinger GC’s Louis Oosthuizen and Dean Burmester. Ripper GC took the title at the second playoff hole after both South African golfers made a bogey at the 56th hole. With the win, Ripper GC move up to 5th place on the 2024 team standings.
Steele, aged 41, claimed an unlikely win in the individual event given he started in Adelaide with his best result at a LIV Golf event this season a below average 19th at LIV Miami. The three-time PGA Tour winner fired rounds of 66, 64 and a final round 4-under 68 to reach 18-under. The HyFlyers GC representative overcame Oosthuizen by one shot. Oosthuizen, who won the 2010 Open Championship, closed with a superb 8-under 64 to get to 17-under for solo second place.
Five players shared third pace at 16-under; Carl Schwartzel (64), Jon Rahm (64), Andy Ogletree (65), Joacquin Niemann (66) and Dean Burmester (67).
Jones led the Aussie contingent in the individual event. The two-time Australian Open winner carded a final round 4-under 68 to get to 14-under and in a tie for 9th place. Leishman (65), Herbert (65) and Smith (70) got to 13-under for a share of 14th place.
LIV Golf moves to Asia for next week’s LIV Singapore to be staged at Sentosa Golf Club.
Final Scores
Individual
1. Brendan Steele -18
2. Louis Oosthuizen -17
T3. Charlie Schwartzel -16
T3. Jon Rahm -16
T3. Andy Ogletree -16
T3. Joaquín Niemann -16
T3. Dean Burmester -16
Team
1. Ripper GC -53
2. Stinger GC -53
3. HyFlyers GC -48
Image Credit: Mark Brake/Getty Images
