Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka signified his return to full fitness on the eve of Masters week with the second victory of his LIV Golf career.

Plagued with injuries to patella tendons in both legs and in his right kneecap in recent years, which required surgery, Koepka left the PGA Tour last summer as an eight-time winner for a lucrative deal with LIV Golf, which offered huge signing bonuses and 54-hole events with no cut and $25 million purses.

Koepka shot a final-round three-under-par 68 Sunday at LIV’s Orlando tournament at Orange County National, the former host to the PGA Tour’s Q School. He posted a 15-under total (198) to win by one shot over Colombia’s Sebastián Muñoz (66).

Former Masters champion Patrick Reed (67) and South Africa’s Dean Burmester (64) tied for third.

Koepka won his second LIV title since joining the league in June last year, having also claimed the event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Koepka won $4 million for the individual victory and $375,000 for his quarter of his Smash GC team winning $1.5 million for its second-place finish. Captain Joaquin Niemann’s Torque GC won the $5 million team portion of the event.

The 32-year-old Koepka became the first player among LIV’s 48-player roster to win two of its individual tournaments.

? @bkoepka knows what he's capable of when he's healthy#LIVGolf @smashgc pic.twitter.com/9RciVMhkPH

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 2, 2023

Koepka said the second was more satisfying than his victory in Saud Arabia, despite that one being emotional given it ended a 20-month win drought for a player who, from 2017 to 2019, was among the most feared golfers in the world. In Saudi Arabia, Koepka had said his injuries raised fears that he “didn’t know if my career was over for a second.”

“Yeah I think [it’s more rewarding than Jeddah],” Koepka said Sunday in Orlando. “Look at everything I’ve been through. I’m finally healthy man. It’s nice to play some good golf.

“It gives me chills to think about the capabilities [I have] do when I’m healthy and everything going into next week, it’s good to see.”

Next week, of course, is the 87th Masters at Augusta National, where Koepka and 17 other LIV golfers will tee up. Koepka has unfinished business at Augusta, having tied for second place to Tiger Woods during Woods’ epic 2019 victory—his fifth Masters green jacket.

LIV’s Orlando venue—the Crooked Cat course at Orange County National—was criticized for a lack of quality and challenge to elite players, but Koepka said that should not be the case.

“I actually think this was a good test for Augusta greens,” Koepka said. “The greens were fast, similar to Augusta and on some good slopes. I’m just happy to get the win.”

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Bubba Watson (2012, 2014 champ), Sergio Garcia (2017) and Patrick Reed (2018) will start on hole No. 1, while Phil Mickelson (2004, 2006, 2010), Charl Schwartzel (2011) and Dustin Johnson (2020) will tee off on hole No. 2. The shotgun start at the Crooked Cat course is scheduled for 1.15pm ET.

Eighteen LIV Golf players have earned spots in next week’s Masters at Augusta National, the first major of 2023. Besides the six past champions, the other 12 include Abraham Ancer, Bryson DeChambeau, Talor Gooch, Brooks Koepka, Jason Kokrak, Kevin Na, Joaquin Niemann, Louis Oosthuizen, Mito Pereira, Thomas Pieters, Cameron Smith and Harold Varner III.

Smith, the reigning Open champ, will play with DeChambeau and Niemann in another all-Masters group on Friday. That threesome starts on hole No. 4.

LIV Golf Tucson winner Danny Lee of Iron Heads will play with Koepka, the Smash captain, and Majesticks co-captain Ian Poulter starting on hole No. 3.

Crushers’ Charles Howell III, the winner of the season-opening event in Mayakoba and current Individual Champion points leader, will play with Carlos Ortiz of Fireballs and Marc Leishman of Ripper. Ortiz was part of the four-man playoff in Tucson. That threesome starts on hole No. 7.

LIV GOLF ORLANDO ROUND 1 PAIRINGS

1 Bubba Watson (RangeGoats), Sergio Garcia (Fireballs), Patrick Reed (4 Aces)
2 Charl Schwartzel (Stinger), Dustin Johnson (4 Aces), Phil Mickelson (HyFlyers)
3 Danny Lee (Iron Heads), Brooks Koepka (Smash), Ian Poulter (Majesticks)
4 Bryson DeChambeau (Crushers), Joaquin Niemann (Torque), Cameron Smith (Ripper)
6 Louis Oosthuizen (Stinger), Harold Varner III (RangeGoats), Paul Casey (Crushers)
7 Charles Howell III (Crushers), Marc Leishman (Ripper), Carlos Ortiz (Fireballs)
8 Branden Grace (Stinger), Jason Kokrak (Smash), Talor Gooch (RangeGoats)
9 Cameron Tringale (HyFlyers), Thomas Pieters (RangeGoats), Eugenio Chacarra (Fireballs)
10 Mito Pereira (Torque), Graeme McDowell (Cleeks), Pat Perez (4 Aces)
11 Andy Ogletree (Crushers), David Puig (Torque), Bernd Wiesberger (Cleeks)
12 Dean Burmester (Stinger), Laurie Canter (Cleeks), James Piot (HyFlyers)
14 Matt Jones (Ripper), Kevin Na (Iron Heads), Sebastian Munoz (Torque)
15 Richard Bland (Cleeks), Jediah Morgan (Ripper), Scott Vincent (Iron Heads)
16 Sihwan Kim (Iron Heads), Sam Horsfield (Majesticks), Chase Koepka (Smash)
17 Henrik Stenson (Majesticks), Peter Uihlein (4 Aces), Brendan Steele (HyFlyers)
18 Abraham Ancer (Fireballs) Lee Westwood (Majesticks), Matthew Wolff (Smash)

The post Field is set for LIV Golf Orlando as six Masters champs paired together appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Take a look.

TROY MULLINS

INDIVIDUAL
Bryson DeChambeau/Bubba Watson This is tough because the course has large green complexes so they really have to be able to putt well. However, there’s room for creativity off the tee so I’d love to see either of these players win. I can’t choose one and I’m sticking to my answer!
TEAM
4 Aces While I love all the teams, I still believe they are one of the strongest teams out there. This course should set up well for them. Additionally, the fairway misses are not as penalising as our first two venues.

SU-ANN HENG

INDIVIDUAL
Dustin Johnson Perfect golf course for him and he seemed to have found some rhythm and momentum towards the end of Tucson.
TEAM
Crushers  Collectively, I think this is a great course for this team. Bryson could be potent.

JERRY FOLTZ

INDIVIDUAL
Dustin Johnson Crooked Cat rewards power and DJ is trending better than the others in that category on the heels of a pair of 68s on the weekend in Tucson.
TEAM
4 Aces  Picking the 4 Aces is kinda like being a Yankees fan, but Uilhein is continuing his solid play, Reed finally seemed to find his groove on Sunday in Tucson, DJ is as motivated as ever, and Perez seems to always feel as though he has to continually prove himself.

ARLO WHITE

INDIVIDUAL
Matthew Wolff He’s enjoyed a very solid start to 2023, and I expect Matthew to delight his Wolff pack with his first LIV Golf victory.
TEAM
4 Aces  I refuse to believe that Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed will struggle for a third tournament in a row. Pat Perez and Peter Uihelon have provided the backbone for two second-place finishes, and a return to form for the big two will see the Aces over the line.

DOM BOULET

INDIVIDUAL
Cameron Smith From what I have been hearing, the course will yield plenty of birdies so I’m going with the best putter in the game.
TEAM
Torque  Just have a feeling about Torque!!

DAVID FEHERTY

INDIVIDUAL
Matthew Wolff He’s been improving steadily and just has so much heart. If he can get his head to follow, which I think is going to happen, he’s going to be a bona fide superstar.
TEAM
RangeGoats  Again, I’m hopelessly loyal!

HOW THEY STAND

Here are the standings for our LIV Golf experts after the second tournament in Tucson. Each prediction received the individual and team points awarded to their respective picks.

EXPERT POINTS (LAST EVENT)
Mullins 51 (Koepka 0, 4 Aces 24)
Heng 42 (Gooch 5, Ripper 8)
Foltz 32 (Steele 24, HyFlyers 4)
White 27 (Smith 0, 4 Aces 24)
Boulet 23 (Casey 0, Iron Heads 16)
Feherty 6 (Watson 1, RangeGoats 1)

The post Expert Picks: LIV Golf’s broadcast team predict the Orlando winners appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

• When: March 31-April 2
• Where: Orange County National Golf Centre and Lodge, Winter Garden, Florida
• Competition: 54 holes of stroke play
• Field: 48 players/12 teams
• Purse: $25 million ($20 million individual, $5 million team)
• Winner’s share: $4 million (individual), $3 million (team)
• Tee time: Shotgun start Rounds 1 and 2 at 1.15pm ET, Round 3 at 1pm

Iron Heads’ Scott Vincent and Kevin Na congratulate Danny Lee. LIV Golf

LOWDOWN

• The LIV Golf League plays its first regular-season event in Florida after ending the inaugural 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series with the Miami Team Championship last year.
• New LIV Golf member Danny Lee of Iron Heads comes off an individual win in Tucson, while Fireballs — captained by Sergio Garcia — won the team title.
• Lee made a birdie putt from off the green on the third playoff hole to win the four-man playoff that also included Carlos Ortiz (Fireballs), Brendan Steele (HyFlyers) and Louis Oosthuizen (Stinger captain). It was the second individual playoff in LIV Golf history and first of this season.
• Lee is the highest-ranked newcomer of the six players who joined LIV Golf prior to the start of the 2023 season. Four of the top 15 players in points after two events are first-year LIV members — Lee (3rd), Steele (5th), and Torque’s Mito Pereira (9th) and Sebastian Munoz (15th). The other new players are Stinger’s Dean Burmester (29th) and RangeGoats’s Thomas Pieters (41st).
• Last year’s Team Champions, 4Aces captained by Dustin Johnson, have finished second in each of the first two events in 2023 and lead the team points standings.
• Johnson and Steele competed in the 2007 Q-School tournament at Orange County National, with Johnson securing his card with a T-14 finish.
• Charles Howell III of Crushers tops the Individual Champion standings. Howell won the season-opening event at LIV Golf Mayakoba and finished fifth in points in Tucson.
• Howell is one of four players who have finished in the top 10 in points in each of the first two events. The others are Ortiz (Fireballs), Peter Uihlein (4Aces) and Steele (HyFlyers).
• Three players who played collegiately in the state of Florida are in the field: Smash Captain Brooks Koepka (Florida State), his brother Chase (South Florida) and Majesticks’s Sam Horsfield (Florida).
• After playing in LIV Golf Orlando, 18 players will tee it up at the Masters, the first major of 2023. Six of those players are past Masters champions — Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Charl Schwartzel.

Courtesy Orange County National Golf Centre and Lodge

ABOUT THE COURSE

Orange County National (Crooked Cat)
Par: 71
Yardage: 7,297

• Crooked Cat features significant elevation changes, rolling fairways and large, contoured greens packaged with a links-style look
• Multiple options exist on the majority of holes, but wayward shots can end up in one of the many grass bunkers
• The final nine-hole stretch is a favourite of top golfers due to its length and challenge
• Orange County National features an unique circular driving range, considered the largest in the United States
• Putting surfaces: Champions Bermuda Ultra Dwarf Turf Grass

HOW TO WATCH

United States
The CW Network airs the LIV Golf League in 100 per cent of US markets.
Friday: Live on The CW app and LIV Golf Plus
Saturday and Sunday: Live on The CW Network, The CW app and LIV Golf Plus

Global
Broadcast in over 160 international territories live and on-demand, free of charge, via LIV Golf Plus. Available for download on iOS, Android, FireTV, and on LIVGolfPlus.com. Also airing on 12 international broadcast partners.

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