Talor Gooch fired a final-round 67, including at birdie at the 18th hole, to take a one-shot victory over Bryson DeChambeau at the LIV Golf Invitational Andalucia in Sotogrande, Spain.
Gooch’s win at Real Club Valderrama was his third on the LIV season, following wins in Adelaide and Singapore. He is the first three-time individual winner since LIV play began last year.
“Last year I didn’t get a win, so this year I was just so focused on getting an individual win,” said Gooch, who finished with a 12-under par 201. “You don’t think much past the first one until you get the first one. I definitely didn’t have three in mind for the season.”
DeChambeau entered the day with a one-shot lead and was paired with Gooch and Brooks Koepka in the final group Sunday. DeChambeau shot a 69 on the par-71 course to claim second place at 11-under for the tournament, and Koepka (68) took solo third place at 9-under.
“I just didn’t hit it well on the back nine today,” said DeChambeau, who is looking for his first LIV Golf League win. “I didn’t hit it as well as yesterday. If I better, I win by four or five. Bottom line I’ve got to keep working on it, and job is not done, and I want to win one of these.”
In the team event, Torque GC (Joaquin Niemann, Sebastian Munoz, David Puig, Mito Pereira) won by five shots over Gooch’s RangeGoats. It’s the second team win in a row for Torque.
Gooch and DeChambeau were tied after 17 holes heading to the par-4 No. 18. Gooch said he knew a par wouldn’t win.
“I hit a really good second shot and put us really in a perfect position to be aggressive with a putt. The first day we didn’t make a bunch of putts, and yesterday we made a few more putts, and then my caddie and I, we got a really good read on that last putt,” he said.
“I knew the way that Bryson had been battling all throughout the day, I knew he wasn’t going to make a bogey. So I knew it was going to take a birdie to win. I had a really good read on it and made a positive, confident stroke. … I just felt like I was going to make it, and before I even hit the putt, I was already visualizing the fist pump that was coming with it. I’m glad it went in.”
The birdie at No. 18 was his fourth over the final eight holes after a bogey at No. 10.
Gooch earned $4 million for the individual title, with DeChambeau pocketing $2.25 million and Koepka $1.5 million.
Munoz (6-under) finished alone in fourth place, with Puig, Patrick Reed and Jason Kokrak tied for fifth (3-under).
LIV play resumes Friday with LIV London at Centurion Club in Hertfordshire, England.
–Field Level Media