Three-time PGA Tour winner Brendan Steele has triumphed at the LIV Golf Adelaide tournament at The Grange Golf Club. The 41-year-old American fired a final-round 68 on Sunday to secure a 54-hole total of 18 under par, earning him his first victory since his second Safeway Open win on the PGA Tour in 2017.
Steele started the day with a blistering run of five consecutive birdies, but some putting woes on his back nine left the door open for challengers including Oosthuizen, the reigning British Open champion, and former Masters winners Charl Schwartzel and Jon Rahm.
“Yeah, I was telling myself that I knew there was going to be hard moments today regardless of the result and that I just needed to get back in there and start playing with freedom again,” Steele said after the win. “And, and I was able to hit some good shots after that and write the show.”
South Africa’s Oosthuizen shot a 65 to finish one stroke behind Steele at 17 under. The 2010 Open Championship winner had drawn level with Steele late in Sunday’s final round, but the American made some crucial pars on the final holes to clinch victory.
Schwartzel and Rahm finished tied for third at 16 under, along with Joaquin Niemann, Andy Ogletree, and Dean Burmester. Former world No. 1 Rahm had an eagle and six birdies in his eight-under 64 but had left himself too much ground to make up on Steele on the final day.
Last year’s winner Talor Gooch finished tied for 26th at 10 under, while some of LIV Golf’s biggest names, including Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, and Sergio Garcia, also finished outside the top 10.
In the team format, the Australian team Ripper GC, led by local favorite Cameron Smith, defeated the South African-based team, Stingers GC, on the second playoff hole to the delight of the large crowd at The Grange course on Sunday.
The LIV Golf tour remains in the Asia region next week for the May 3-5 Singapore event at the Sentosa Golf Club. Then there’s a month-long break before resuming in Houston from June 7-9.
