The renowned Serapong course on Sentosa Island sets the stage for the elite showdown at LIV Golf Singapore, where top talents from around the globe converge to challenge both each other and one of Asia’s premier golf destinations. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Sentosa Golf Club hosts the LIV Golf League for the second consecutive year, drawing in a star-studded lineup featuring current frontrunner Joaquin Niemann of Chile, Spain’s Jon Rahm, and recent LIV Golf Miami victor Dean Burmester from South Africa.
This event in Singapore marks the midpoint of the LIV Golf League season, offering players a pivotal opportunity to fine-tune their skills ahead of the upcoming US PGA Championship at Valhalla, Kentucky, where defending champion Brooks Koepka of Smash GC aims to retain his title. Following the gripping showdown at LIV Golf Adelaide, which crowned Brendan Steele of HyFlyers GC as individual champion and saw Ripper GC triumph over Stinger GC in a thrilling playoff at the Grange Golf Club, the spotlight now shifts to Sentosa’s majestic Serapong course.
Ranked among the World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, The Serapong welcomes 54 of the sport’s elite players, including Major Champions Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, last year’s runner-up Sergio Garcia, and Louis Oosthuizen. Against the backdrop of Singapore’s skyline and the South China Sea, these golfing luminaries will navigate the course’s mystical layout in pursuit of victory.
Talor Gooch, defending champion from Smash GC, eagerly anticipates his return to Sentosa, where his inspired performance last year saw him triumph at LIV Golf Adelaide before securing back-to-back victories by edging out Spanish legend Garcia in a dramatic playoff on The Serapong. Gooch, who triumphed as a RangeGoats GC player in 2023 but now plays for Smash GC, said he was looking forward to playing The Serapong again and the quality of the greens were firmly planted in his memory.
‘It’s just a fantastic golf course,’ said the 32-year-old American. ‘There’s no faking it. You’ve got to play good golf, but if you play good golf, it’ll get rewarded, and the greens are some of the best surfaces that I’ve ever putt on in my life.
‘They’re just unbelievable. And I’d heard about how spectacular the greens were prior to the event. And you know, rarely do those expectations live up to the hype. It blew me away how great the greens were.’
Gooch said the switch to the Smash GC team had helped elevate his focus on the game and being in such esteemed company was something he had targeted.
‘Being in the room with those guys is the reason I made the move. I wanted to be around Brooks on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis and have him push me to become a better golfer. And the same thing with G Mac (Graeme McDowell) and Jason Kokrak. They’re great golfers.’
Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 US Open champion and captain of Crushers GC, was eagerly anticipating his return to The Serapong. After a commendable T-6 finish at the recent US Masters in Augusta, he was excited for the opportunity to challenge himself once more.
The Crushers GC captain said : ‘The fans out there were awesome, they showed up in waves, they have great people out there, we loved it. The golf course is exciting, it’s a good test of golf, the greens were in immaculate shape so I’m looking forward to it. Pristine conditions, great fans, and a good atmosphere.’
He said the format suited his Crushers GC team and looked forward to adding to their successful season: ‘The four score formats work really well for us because we are a consistent team. We seem to do well over the four rounds. Having four guys who can score anywhere and everywhere is impressive.’
In 2023, The Serapong clinched the prestigious title of World’s Best Golf Course at the World Golf Awards. Renowned for its meandering layout, impeccable conditions, and breathtaking scenery, it stands as a coveted victory destination for top professionals worldwide, each eager to secure a triumph in their career on its prestigious greens.
