Brooks Koepka holed his birdie putt on the third playoff hole to win the LIV Golf Invitational-Jeddah on Sunday and declare his first victory on the breakaway tour.
Little may separate Koepka from shut good friend and American compatriot Peter Uihlein all weekend and so they matched one another birdie for birdie on the primary two playoff holes.
But Koepka finally prevailed in Saudi Arabia after Uihlein’s third shot from the sand went into the water whereas Koepka hit a textbook shot earlier than making the putt to seal his first victory since February 2021.
Koepka, a former top-ranked participant and four-time main winner, was emotional afterward because the 32-year-old revealed he had feared for his profession whereas battling damage.
Koepka had led after the opening spherical on the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City however was overtaken by Uihlein on Saturday.
They had been in a four-way tie for the lead on the closing hole on Sunday however each birdied to go into the playoff and go away Joaquin Niemann (65) and Sergio Garcia (68) a shot behind.
Koepka had a 1-under-69, whereas Uihlein made par as each completed on 12 underneath total.
The successful putt! 🏆 <a href=”https://twitter.com/BKoepka?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@BKoepka</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/LIVGolf?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#LIVGolf</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/LIVGolfJeddah?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#LIVGolfJeddah</a> <a href=”https://t.co/B9tP62XLiJ”>pic.twitter.com/B9tP62XLiJ</a>
—@LIVGolfInv
Uihlein wanted to win to complete second in the season factors race. He completed third and earned a $4 million US bonus, whereas Branden Grace completed second, which was value $8 million. Dustin Johnson clinched the race per week in the past and made $18 million.
It was the seventh and closing LIV Golf Invitational for particular person and crew play. The final occasion of the inaugural season shall be in Miami in two weeks for four-man groups.
LIV Golf is funded by the Saudi Arabia sovereign wealth fund, however this was the primary match held in Saudi Arabia after earlier occasions in London, Portland, Bedminster, Boston, Chicago and Bangkok.
LIV Golf has 48-player fields with no minimize over 54 holes and have $25 million in complete prize cash. Players who’ve been drawn to the massive prizes have been banned from enjoying on the PGA Tour and European tour.