NCHEON, South Korea – In an exhilarating showdown on Sunday, Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau successfully converted a 36-hole lead into a hard-fought victory at the LIV Golf Korea tournament. His teammate, Charles Howell III, put up a fierce challenge, ensuring that the competition remained intense until the very end.
DeChambeau countered Howell’s impressive final-round score of 9-under 63 with a solid 6-under 66, securing the individual title by two shots during the LIV Golf Korea event, presented by Coupang Play. The Crushers also triumphed in the team competition, overcoming Smash GC to sweep all the trophies at the renowned Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.
“Charles and I had a great battle out there,” DeChambeau remarked, finishing the tournament at 19 under. “He never wavered today. It was fun and we had a great time, but it was intense. Super-intense.” This victory marks DeChambeau’s third win in LIV Golf, his first of the 2023 season, and notably, his first time winning after entering the final round with the lead.
Previously, DeChambeau faced disappointment in the last two LIV Golf events in Miami and Mexico City, where he held the lead after 36 holes but ultimately fell short. He also experienced a setback at last month’s Masters, where he led with 16 holes remaining. This time, he entered the final round with a substantial four-shot lead; however, Howell quickly made his presence known by opening the day with three consecutive birdies, finishing the front nine at four under.
Despite suffering his only bogey of the week at the par-4 sixth hole, DeChambeau fought back on the back nine, making birdies on four of the next six holes. Howell, not to be outdone, strung together five consecutive birdies, bringing the two teammates to a tie at 17 under with just three holes remaining. However, Howell's only bogey of the day at the 16th hole opened the door for DeChambeau to regain control.
DeChambeau then delivered an electrifying moment at the 17th hole, sinking a remarkable 48-foot birdie putt and celebrating with a roar that reflected his relief after a series of near-misses. He concluded the round with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole, allowing for a deep sigh of relief and joy.
Howell's performance underscored his return to form following a stress fracture in his left tibia that sidelined him for three months last season. His solo second-place finish marks his first podium result since he won in Mayakoba at the start of the 2023 season. “I knew today would be a tough day to catch Bryson and even to try to beat him, but I gave it my best,” Howell stated. “Shooting 9-under par in the last group and still not winning is tough.”
The other members of the Crushers team, Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri, also showcased their determination. Casey rebounded from a challenging opening round of 4-over 76 to finish with scores of 71-67, tying for 29th. Lahiri, who shot a 72 on Sunday, overcame a frustrating 79 the day before that included a double bogey due to an unfortunate bounce off the flagstick.
As a team, the Crushers finished with a phenomenal score of 20 under on Sunday, outpacing the competition by 12 shots in the final round, securing victory with a total of -35. “Our job was to not mess it up, if I’m being honest,” Casey admitted, reflecting on the team effort that led to their success.
In his post-victory comments, DeChambeau expressed confidence in the Crushers' future: “The future’s bright for the Crushers. I’m just excited to be part of this story. This is so awesome. That’s what LIV is all about.”
Here are the final results and scores for each team after Sunday’s Round 3 of LIV Golf Korea:
1. CRUSHERS GC -35 (Howell III 63, DeChambeau 66, Casey 67, Lahiri 72; Rd. 3 score: -20) 2. SMASH GC -26 (Gooch 66, Koepka 70, McDowell 70, Kokrak 77; Rd. 3 score: -5) 3. TORQUE GC -18 (Pereira 69, Ortiz 71, Muñoz 72, Niemann 73; Rd. 3 score: -3) 4. RANGEGOATS GC -14 (Wolff 67, Uihlein 72, Watson 73, M. Kim 77; Rd. 3 score: +1) T5. RIPPER GC -13 (Leishman 69, Smith 69, Jones 70, Herbert 72; Rd. 3 score: -8) T5. LEGION XIII -13 (Rahm 70, Hatton 71, McKibbin 72, Surratt 72; Rd. 3 score: -3) T5. STINGER GC -13 (Catlin 69, Oosthuizen 72, Schwartzel 73, Burmester 74; Rd. 3 score: E) 8. 4ACES GC -12 (Reed 65, Pieters 68, Johnson 74, Varner III 74; Rd. 3 score: -7) 9. MAJESTICKS GC -7 (Poulter 68, Stenson 70, Horsfield 71, Westwood 78; Rd. 3 score: -1) 10. FIREBALLS GC -5 (Garcia 69, Masaveu 69, Ancer 71, Puig 73; Rd. 3 score: -6) 11. HYFLYERS GC -2 (Ogletree 67, Tringale 67, Steele 75, Mickelson 78; Rd. 3 score: -1) 12. CLEEKS GC +4 (Kaymer 70, Bland 73, Kjettrup 75, Meronk 76; Rd. 3 score: +6) 13. IRON HEADS GC +8 (Kozuma 70, Jang 74, Na 75, Lee 78; Rd. 3 score: +9)This victory at LIV Golf Korea marks a significant milestone in DeChambeau's career, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the LIV Golf season.
