LIV Golf Singapore: Talor Gooch pips Sergio Garcia to inaugural title
American golfer becomes first back-to-back winner in breakaway league after winning in Adelaide the previous weekend
SINGAPORE — In-form American golfer Talor Gooch won the inaugural LIV Singapore golf tournament on Sunday (30 April), defeating Spain's Sergio Garcia in a sudden-death playoff at the Sentosa Golf Club.
The world No.59 also became the breakaway golf league's first back-to-back tournament winner, after clinching the LIV Golf Adelaide event last weekend, bringing his total winnings in the past fortnight to over US$8 million.
“It’s one of those days that I’ll remember,” he said.
“I grew up watching Sergio. He’s one of the greatest golfers of this generation. To go and battle with him and come out on top is something I’ll never forget.”
Gooch, who was the overnight leader with 2017 Masters champion Garcia, fired a four-under-par 67 to finish on 17-under 196 with Garcia after three round. Four-time Major winner Brooks Koepka - who had been LIV Golf's only two-time winner before Gooch's Singapore win - had the share of the lead early on Sunday, but faded to settle for third on 197.
Both Gooch and Garcia birdied the final hole at the Serapong course to force the playoff, and Gooch putted for another birdie on the 18th hole in the playoff as Garcia missed his birdie chip.
Gooch's win meant his RangeGoats team also won the team event, as he earned the plaudits from team captain Bubba Watson.
"There's nobody around professional golf that didn't understand how good (Talor) is as a player. We all believed he could do this," said the two-time Major winner Watson.
The LIV Golf league will return to Singapore for the next six years until 2018.
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