Aug 19, 2024 - 16:22
By manilatimes.net

Koepka beats Rahm in playoff to win LIV Golf title

WASHINGTON — Brooks Koepka beat Jon Rahm in a playoff to win the LIV Golf Greenbrier title on Sunday (Monday in Manila) for his record fifth career crown on the Saudi-backed series.

Five-time major champion Koepka made par on the first playoff hole while Rahm made bogey.

Koepka, whose most recent LIV win came in May at Singapore, said it was his most prized because of his daylong fight with playing partner Rahm.

A GOOD WIN Brooks Koepka of the United States holds the trophy after winning the tournament during day three of LIV Golf: Greenbrier at The Old White Course on Aug. 18, 2024 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. AFP PHOTO

«This is probably my favorite one,» Koepka said. «It's always good when you have to battle good players.

»Jon is a hell of a player. For whatever reason, he has always gotten the better of me a little bit as of late. It feels nice just to get one."

Rahm outdueled Koepka in the final round to win the 2023 Masters for his second major title, but Koepka said that didn't add motivation.

«I wasn't thinking about it,» he said. «Just one of those things. Let's go play golf. It's a good win.»

Koepka fired a 7-under par 63 in the final round while Rahm shot 65 to leave both on 19-under 191 after 54 holes at the Old White course in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

American Jason Kokrak was third on 18-under, with England's 51-year-old Richard Bland and Australian Marc Leishman sharing fourth on 17-under.

In the playoff, Rahm's tee shot at the par-3 18th went to the back edge of a bunker. One leg in and the other out of the sand, the Spaniard blasted 20 feet beyond the hole.

Koepka missed his birdie putt but tapped in for par, then Rahm lipped out on his par putt, and Koepka had the victory.

Koepka's earlier LIV titles came at Jeddah in 2022 and 2023, Orlando in 2023 and Singapore.

Koepka collected major wins at the 2017 and 2018 US Opens and the 2018, 2019 and 2023 PGA Championships.

Rahm, who also won the 2021 US Open, jumped from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf last December and won his first LIV event last month, taking LIV Golf UK at Centurion in England.

The 29-year-old Spaniard shared fifth at the Paris