Talor Gooch declared sandbelt golf wasn’t a “cake walk” after the first of two straight rounds of 62 at The Grange which helped set-up an almost unbelievable 10-shot final round lead at the LIV event in Adelaide.
He said he’d be nervous too as he teed it up in Sunday despite setting a new record for the fledgling tour and those nerves came to the fore as the American’s nearly insurmountable lead was whittled to just two-shots before he held on to collect the $5.7 million winner’s cheque, by just two shots.
Gooch only dropped one shot but a Sunday charge from, well, pretty much everyone including hometown hero Cameron Smith heaped pressure on the leader who had been flawless, bogey-free during the opening two rounds to set up the massive buffer.
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He was never passed, despite the best efforts of the chasers including Anirban Lahiri who got closer than anyone, and was only two back with two to play, before finishing second after a closing 65.
Smith, who is yet to get on the LIV podium in 2023, delighted with a hole-out from a bunker as one of his six birdies as he put together a final round 66 full of near misses to end his homecoming adventure in a tie for fourth.
But the anatomy of Gooch’s final round put to be the ongoing criticism of LIV as “exhibition golf” creating drama the fans rode all day.
When the American sprayed his tee-shot on the ninth hole way right, after back-to-back bogeys, his first ones for the tournament, his swing seemingly falling apart, his lead cut in half as others charged and his pursuit of the massive winner’s cheque wobbling, Gooch’s first-day sandbelt fears were biting.
The ghosts of Norman, who famously squandered a six-shot lead in the final round of the 1996 Masters and even shot a final round 74 to hang on and win at The Grange in 1976, loomed large over Gooch as the pay day looked a long way from certain.
It’s a massive amount of money even for LIV players who are playing for $37 million at every event, and steady hands can be hard to find just at the thought of achieving something even Gooch said he’d “worked his whole life for”.
Gooch, 31, who joined LIV just after winning his first PGA Tour event, made par on that ninth hole but then flew over the green from a front bunker having already come out of the trees on the 10th, and four nervous, ugly, hand-shaking putts resulted in a double-bogey. The lead was down to two,
Gooch had played 10 holes and had eight shots wiped off his lead.
A birdie at the 11th, making about a three metre putt, pushed the lead back out to three, as did another at the par five 13th, giving breathing space for Gooch who had tight everything as the finish line neared.
Sunday’s action got underway with an extraordinary eagle from American Peter Uihlein on Hole 5 that sent the Adelaide crowd into as frenzy.
But the best was yet to come.
In the early afternoon, America’s Chase Koepka nailed a hole in one at the famous ‘watering hole’, sending the lubricated Adelaide fans into a frenzy.
A tsunami of beer and plastic cups rained down onto the course as a jubilant Koepka celebrated with his caddie.
“That is one of the greatest moments in LIV Golf history,” the commentator cried.
“Astonishing scenes here in Adelaide.”
It took several minutes for staff to clean up the mess.
LIV Golf Adelaide has set a blueprint for how the breakaway league can operate moving forward, according to American golf star Phil Mickelson.
Adelaide’s golf fans have brought the event to life this weekend, with bars, live DJs, and pumping music keeping the rowdy spectators entertained, especially at the now-famous ‘party hole’.
The fervour for the event was undeniable as hordes flocked to The Grange, lining the first fairway from tee to green when Smith got underway on Friday.
“This is really an example of what is possible, and a new opportunity to present golf in a different way, and have a different energy and a different feel,” Mickelson told reporters on Saturday.
“I’d say this it should happen every week.
“What LIV Golf has provided is a great alternative for the traditional ways of golf, and the people here in Australia have embraced it, and so you see a whole different energy.
“I’m happy to be a part of it.”
New South Wales has reportedly put its hat into the ring to host a LIV Golf event, going against Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia in declaring its interest.
Golf NSW chairman Michael Medway has reportedly declared that he would like to bring a second Australian LIV Golf event to the state, declaring the competition as “the future of golf”.
Australia’s Cameron Smith claimed that LIV Golf Adelaide was “the best event he’s ever played”.
“I didn’t think it was going to quite be like this,” Smith confessed on Saturday.
“I think the course being presented how it is, all the players love it. The crowds are so energetic. Probably the most energetic crowd I’ve ever played in,” he said.
“I mean, I would go as far as to say this probably one of the best event I’ve ever played. I think I’m probably biased a little bit being from Australia, but this is what LIV Golf is about, and this is what we need every week.”
While Gooch’s battle was going on the jostling for the $4,5 million team prize was also being impacted.
The leader’s Rangegoats and rankings leaders the 4 Aces swapped top spot for most of the final day as part of the concept LIV officials believe gives every final round a significant point of different to every other tour.
Pat Perez has been maligned for cashing in on the success of others, riding the coat-tails of his 4 Aces teammates in 2022 and making a massive $12 million despite an average finish of 32nd in eight events.
In Adelaide Perez flipped the script and was his team’s main man for two days before teammates including Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson got in on birdie-blitz as they came from behind to win.
For the record the All-Australian “Ripper GC” team, which started the final day on the bottom of the leaderboard, climbed all the way to finish seventh among the 12 teams.
LEADERBOARD
19-under Talor Gooch
17-under Anirban Lahiri
16-under Pat Perez
THE AUSSIES
15-under Cameron Smith
11-under Marc Leishman
2-under Matt Jones
1-under Jed Morgan
– with NCA NewsWire
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