King Charl ??#LIVGolf | @CA_Schwartzel pic.twitter.com/2K1x3daus0

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) June 11, 2022

Charl Schwartzel made history on Saturday to win the first ever LIV Golf event at Centurion Club and the relief on his face after holing the final putt was more to do with victory in its own right rather than the whopping pay cheque that came with it.

Yes, the South African took away $4.75 million for his work over 54 holes in Hertfordshire this week, but the 2011 Masters winner honestly just looked more delighted to embrace his son and daughter and prove he could be a champion once again.

Schwartzel’s last win came way back in 2016 before some steely nerves and a hot putter took him home by one stroke at Centurion Club on Saturday.

https://twitter.com/LIVGolfInv/status/1535712056313249793

He was clear by five at one point but hit the wobbles on the back nine, and had to hold it together to hole out for a one-stroke triumph over ‘Stinger’ teammate and fellow South African Hennie Du Plessis with the final shot (third-placed Branden Grace and skipper Louis Oosthuizen made up the winning foursome).

The definition of domination ?#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/CvPFv5jGbr

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) June 11, 2022

“I really wanted to win again,” Schwartzel told the media here, with both individual and team trophies sitting beside him. “I worked very hard the last few years and there were signs of good golf and just haven’t really been able to be in contention, and I played really god the first 11 holes. I hit a wayward shot on 12 and it sort of derailed me.

“From there on, I was just trying to hang in. Hennie was playing some really good golf, he was hitting good shots and playing pressure.

“It was a little bit like ‘just get in the house’ at the end. But I couldn’t be more pleased and happy with how it turned out today.”

“I’m tired,” he joked after the three-day shotgun tournament, as opposed to the usual 72-holes. “I came here last Saturday. I played Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. So I’ve played a full week of hard preparation, and I think for the amount that’s at stake, what LIV has put up, I could see myself doing that for almost all the event, really trying to prepare like I did for majors. Majors I used to come early and be real prepared. Because you have got three rounds now, so you don’t have four rounds to maybe catch up if you were behind. You have to play well all three rounds, otherwise you won’t win.

“So, 54 holes was the tournament, but my week has been very long.

The Masters champion also reflected on what this week meant compared to his famous week at Augusta back in 2011.

“I don’t know if there’s anything that will ever come close to a green jacket. Majors are what define our careers. Obviously I was fortunate to win the green jacket and I’m very proud of that.

“Money is one thing but, there, you’re playing for prestige, history. Yeah, winning a major will always top anything you do.”

Du Plessis took $2.875 million for his week’s work and he was quizzed how he felt after it was suggested he had just tripled his career earnings.

“Obviously I’ve worked hard to be in this position and to earn this amount of money,” he said after his near miss for the title. “I’ve got LIV Golf to thank for that, for giving me the opportunity. It’s been an incredible week and I’m very grateful and I’m very happy.

“It’s hard not to think about the money. But you’re still trying to win a tournament and put a decent result in. So I didn’t really think about the money. I just thought about the trophy.”

There was a real camaraderie in the Stinger team, as they are all South African, and captain Oosthuizen admitted that was part of his plan from the start. He is aiming to keep them together for the next LIV event in the US at the end of the month.

“So Charl and Branden are in my team going forward to the next event in Portland,” he said. I sort of looked them up and said I want them on my team. I would love to have a full South African team every week.

“I know Hennie has got a few things struggling with visa appointments and stuff like that with the backlogs, and so, if he can sort that out, there’s a space on my team for him. If it works out, the four of us play the next ones.”

It was quite a closing day in St Albans as — following the announcement of Bryson DeChambeau on Friday — both Patrick Reed and Pat Perez were confirmed as signing up to LIV Golf, despite the confirmation of suspension from the PGA for any player who made such a move.

During the event, Reed joined the commentary team in London online to explain his decision: “I’m super excited. Just the thought of being a part of an evolution and a change in golf for the better for me, it’s unbelievable. I have been watching all weekend and the format and just the way everything is, I’m super excited and can’t wait to be a part of it.

“I have been talking to a few of the guys after the first round and second round and they have told me how well not only the tournament is run but also the turnout with the fans and the excitement and energy — and I think that’s the biggest thing is the energy seems so lively and every player seems so pumped and ready to go. Portland can’t get here fast enough.”

Fellow Pat, Perez, added shortly afterward: “DJ (close friend and former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson) was about 100 per cent the reason that I have this deal. He wanted me to be part of it. A deal like this doesn’t really come across to a guy with my rank and this and that, even though I’ve been on tour 21 years and I’ve got three wins and I’ve made 335 cuts.

“But DJ wanted me on his team and you know, the opportunity to follow a world-class player like that, two majors and FedEx, 24 wins and world No. 1 for a really long time, it’s really an honour to be by his side and to be on his team.”

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The post Priceless: Charl Schwartzel reflects on famous moment at LIV Golf after a long, long wait appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The South African 2011 Masters champion has not won a tournament since 2016, but he is on course to have the most historic piece of golf timing with a record-breaking $25 million in prize money on the line, and $4 million going to the winner alone.

MORE: LIV Golf Day 2 as it happened
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Schwartzel led a South African 1-2 show in his nine-under wire-to-wire day on Friday, as Hennie Du Plessis is in second spot, three strokes back on six-under.

The pair traded birdies and bogies all day in St Albans before the more experienced Schwartzel put a bit of daylight between himself and Du Plessis over the last few holes.

Schwartzel in the driver's seat #LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/aw2FhmJmRV

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) June 10, 2022

The action was relentless all over the course thanks to the events innovative shotgun start, with all 48 players teeing off out on course at the same time, and the course bared its teeth for the second day in a row too, with only six players currently under par for the tournament.

Indeed, some, such as Andy Ogletree and Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat will be comforting themselves with a guaranteed hefty pay day, with no cut in the three-day competition — American Ogletree is propping up the leaderboard on a whopping 19-over par but, if he is still there come Saturday evening, he will still walk away with $120,000.

Peter Uihlein and Oliver Bekker round out the top rour on four-under and three-under respectively, with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia toiling somewhat in the Hertfordshire summer sunshine.

On a day when Bryson DeChambeau was  confirmed as the latest big name to sign up for the LIV Golf series — despite the PGA Tour moving to suspend any of its players that compete in the Saudi-backed tournament — the Centurion Club was transformed into a festival, with thousands of fans pouring into the venue to watch the action.

“I think we saw today that this is a series that has delivered on its promises and is here to stay and help change the game of golf for us the players and the fans,” said Martin Kaymer following his round of 70 left him on four-over in T26 position.

“I have been offered a great opportunity here. We need to focus on the game of golf. It doesn’t matter where you play.

In my opinion, it does help the sport. If some tours take it personal, that’s their issue, I guess. I don’t see why they should because we should focus on main and the big picture, and the game of golf that we promote. It doesn’t matter where you play in the world, it’s the greatest sport out there, I believe. There’s no reason to continue to get upset, I guess.”

Supreme from #STINGERGC ?

Can they be caught?#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/6aepNML7ct

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) June 10, 2022

Branden Grace, who is on the same Stingers team as both Schwartzel and Du Plessis, was delighted with the duo’s performances. The Stingers lead the LIV Golf team event on a collective 15-under from Peter Uihlein’s Crushers team.

“There weren’t too many screens out on the course to check the team scores,” Grace said. “Every time a checked, they were showing the individual standings, and it was hard to keep up with my teammates. But I saw that two of our main guys that were on leaderboard yesterday, they kept on playing well today.

“We are heading the right direction obviously with one day today. Tomorrow is an important day with three scores to count so that mixes things up a little bit.”

“There’s three scores, so anything can happen,” Uihlein added. “It’ll still be tough to mount a comeback, but it’ll be fun. We have no idea what will happen tomorrow because it’s the first time we’re doing it, so it should be cool.”

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The post Charl Schwartzel rolls back the years to get in prime position for history-making $4 million at LIV Golf inaugural event in Centurion in England appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

A bogey-free, seven-under 64 allowed the Scot to equal his lowest European Tour round on Thursday afternoon and leapfrog early clubhouse leaders Kalle Samooja and Richard McEvoy by a stroke at Education City Golf Club. Italian Nino Bertasio and South African Hennie Du Plessis later joined Samooja and McEvoy tied for second at six-under.

Law is off the 10th at 7.25am (Doha time) on Friday and will be hoping to kick-on from his impressive start, just the second time in four European Tour starts this season he’s signed for a round in the 60s.

“It was a good score. I played really well. Conditions were quite easy but I was happy with my iron play and I holed some putts, which was nice,” said the The 2019 ISPS Handa Vic Open champion of his opening round.

7 birdies in 15 holes.@DavidLawGolf takes the solo-lead.#QatarMasters pic.twitter.com/swlpF4U0lX

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 11, 2021

“I’ve been guilty over the last few weeks when I’ve had decent rounds going of not finishing them off. I was semi-conscious of sticking with it and trying to go low.

“I was really happy with how I stuck to my routines, my processes and I came out of it with a good score.

“I’m a lot more focused on my targets rather than my golf swings. Over the last couple of seasons I’ve been guilty of asking myself why I’ve been hitting bad shots, instead of just going on to hit the next one.

“Over the break we had I sat down with my coach Alan McCloskey and Paul Lawrie, we discussed it and it’s all about getting the ball in the hole now, trusting that you’ve done the hard work and the work’s done.”

Having a morning tee time Friday is a bonus too.

“It’s a nice draw. I’m looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow. It’ll be different,” said Law.

“Although it was hot and muggy it was calm, it’s never normally like that here. Tomorrow will be a bit more like normal, a bit of wind and it’ll be testing. I’m looking forward to it.”

Defending champion Jorge Campillo opened with a 68 to be four strokes back entering Friday. Jordanian amateur Shergo Al Kurdi fired a fine 68 for a share of 21st place overnight.

The post Scot David Law determined to cash in on fast Doha start appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.