Bryson DeChambeau Wins LIV Golf Chicago in Spectacular Fashion
The LIV Golf Chicago tournament witnessed an exhilarating performance from Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau as he clinched victory with a magnificent final-round 8-under 63 at Rich Harvest Farms. This remarkable achievement was reminiscent of his stunning record-breaking performance last month in Greenbrier when he shot a closing 58 to secure his first LIV Golf title.
However, DeChambeau’s victory came at the expense of his teammate, Anirban Lahiri, who was vying for his first victory in eight years. Lahiri, who had held the lead for most of the day after overtaking 36-hole leader Sebastián Muñoz, missed a par putt on the 18th hole that would have forced a playoff with DeChambeau.
DeChambeau, who was watching from just off the green, expressed his disappointment, saying, “To be honest with you, I was actually sad. I really wanted him to make that so we could go battle it off in a playoff and finish it off the right way. That was the first emotion that I had.” He also mentioned feeling a mix of emotions despite the congratulations from others, as it did not feel like a normal win for him.
Starting the day eight strokes behind the lead, DeChambeau staged a remarkable comeback and finished at 13 under. Lahiri and Ripper GC’s Marc Leishman tied for second place at 12 under, with Leishman securing second-place points due to a better final-round score than Lahiri.
The Crushers GC team celebrated their victory together, as they shot a 15-under counting score on Sunday to finish at 33 under, three strokes ahead of Fireballs GC. Charles Howell III (67) and Paul Casey (68) also contributed counting scores to the Crushers’ success. Fireballs GC took second place, while league-leading 4Aces GC secured third place via a tiebreaker over RangeGoats GC.
The Crushers’ win marks their second victory of the season and propels them into second place in the team standings. With one regular-season tournament left next month in Jeddah, the top four teams in the standings will receive byes going into the Team Championship in Miami.
Reflecting on the team victory, Paul Casey expressed his joy, stating, “This is why I love what we’re doing. It’s the individual and the team element, and the individual element is rewarding to a certain level, and the team element is rewarding to a whole ‘nother level. They’re different. You can’t compare them, but boy, does it feel good to play well with these guys.”
For Lahiri, his tie for second on the individual leaderboard marked his seventh runner-up finish since joining LIV Golf last year. Despite the disappointment, Lahiri acknowledged the importance of the team win and the primary objective of winning the individual tournament outright.
DeChambeau, while elated with his own performance, showed respect for his teammate’s disappointment, saying, “It’s one of those things you never want to see a teammate go through. But it is what it is, and I think he’s learned a lot, obviously… Your time is coming.”
With his victory, DeChambeau moves up to third place in the individual standings, offering him a chance for the outright title next month in Jeddah alongside current leader Cameron Smith and second-place holder Talor Gooch.
In the team competition, the Crushers GC secured victory with a total team score of -33. The Fireballs GC finished second at -30, followed by 4Aces GC and RangeGoats GC tied at -25. The standings were determined by counting the three best scores from each team in every round. Tiebreakers were used when two teams finished with the same score.
The LIV Golf Chicago tournament provided spectators with thrilling performances, showcasing the individual and team dynamics that make this competition unique.