High-ranked Scottie Scheffler and third-ranked Rory McIlroy mixed to offer the PGA Tour a 2.5-0.5 victory over LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau within the Showdown match-play exhibition.
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The PGA pair captured the $10 million prime prize and tour bragging rights over the Saudi-backed upstart circuit within the four-man occasion at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas.
“We’re tremendous blissful to get the win. It’s a pleasant technique to end the yr,” McIlroy mentioned.
“Scottie and I obtained off to a fairly good begin after which from there it was nearly making an attempt to maintain the momentum.”
The occasion, performed largely after darkish underneath particular lighting, pitted four-time main winner McIlroy and two-time Masters champion Scheffler in opposition to five-time main winner Koepka and two-time US Open champion DeChambeau.
“Underneath the lights was enjoyable,” Scheffler mentioned. “It was actually difficult.”
The Showdown joined the majors as one of many few locations the place prime gamers from the rival excursions examined one another because the begin of LIV, whose Saudi Arabian Public Funding Fund backers stay in talks with the PGA about reuniting.
“It was nice. I’d like to have one other alternative. Felt prefer it was a pillow struggle from us,” DeChambeau mentioned.
“It’s good for the followers,” added Koepka.
“We didn’t play that good however they performed actually stable.”
The Showdown featured a best-ball format for the duos on the primary six holes, an alternate shot format on the second six and a singles format over holes 13 to 18 with McIlroy going through DeChambeau and Koepka in opposition to Scheffler for one level every.
Northern Eire’s McIlroy, who final month captured his sixth Race to Dubai crown on the DP World Tour, received the primary two holes with five-foot birdie putts.
McIlroy sank a 40-foot eagle putt and received the fourth gap when DeChambeau missed an eagle putt from inside 5 toes, giving the PGA duo a 3&2 best-ball triumph for the primary level.
“Rory getting off to an amazing begin was fairly massive for our crew and made a press release out of the gate,” mentioned Scheffler.
Alternate shot started underneath the lights with Scheffler and McIlroy successful the par-4 ninth to go 1-up.
PGA Participant of the Yr Scheffler, whose 9 wins this yr embrace a second Masters title and Paris Olympic gold, dropped his method six toes from the opening and the birdie was given after the LIV duo couldn’t make par.
Koepka, final yr’s PGA Championship winner, sank an eight-foot birdie putt on the eleventh to elevate LIV degree within the format getting into the final gap.
“It was good to make one,” Koepka mentioned. “I felt like we wanted it.”
McIlroy, nevertheless, responded with a six-foot birdie putt to win the twelfth and provides the PGA a 2-0 benefit, leaving LIV in want of two singles wins to drive a playoff.
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“It was a little bit of a battle within the alternate shot and we had been fortunate to scrape a win,” McIlroy mentioned.
McIlroy sank a five-foot par putt to win the par-3 thirteenth after DeChambeau, who edged McIlroy on the ultimate gap to win the US Open in June, lipped out his par putt.
Scheffler additionally parred to win 13 for a 1-up lead over Koepka. McIlroy sank a 15-foot birdie putt to win 14 for a 2-up edge whereas Koepka made an eight-footer for birdie to win 14 and tie Scheffler.
At 15, McIlroy missed a bogey putt handy DeChambeau his first gap and Koepka missed a par putt give Scheffler a 1-up lead.
On the par-5 sixteenth, each LIV gamers went into the timber off the tee and Scheffler delivered the clinching blow with a tap-in birdie, sealing a Showdown-clinching half-point by going 2-up with two holes to play after Koepka missed a 14-foot birdie putt.