LONDON – South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel held off compatriot Hennie Du Plessis to claim the biggest pay cheque in golf history at the LIV Invitational Series.
The 37-year-old led by three strokes going into the third and final round at the Centurion course north of London, and consolidated with a round of 72 to seal the $4 million prize.
Schwartzel, whose previous highest pay cheque was the $1.4 million he scooped for winning the 2011 Masters, ended up on seven-under with Du Plessis finishing one stroke back. Another South African, Branden Grace, finished third on five under.
All three were playing for the Stingers team who easily won the team element of the new series.
“You know, it’s a relief,” Schwartzel said according to Reuters. “I had it in my hands but I made it a bit more difficult than it should have been. The (organisers) put up an amazing show; the kind of money they put up for us is out of this world.”
Schwartzel’s victory ended a tumultuous launch week for the breakaway circuit which is backed to the tune of $250 million by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Tony Finau birdied the final hole for an 8-under 62 and a share of the RBC Canadian Open lead with defending champion Rory McIlroy.
“I didn´t finish the way I wanted to yesterday and I think all it did was kind of light a fire in my belly to get after it,” Finau said according to AP.
“That´s pretty much what I did. I made some birdies and I just played really clean golf. ”
McIlroy had a 65 to match Finau at 11-under 199 at St. George´s Golf and Country Club.
“I´m just happy to give myself a chance, be in the final group,” McIlroy said. “Once I saw, I think Tony had got to 10 or maybe 11, I think I was on like 8 or 9 at the time. I just said to myself, `Let´s just try to get yourself in the final group.´”
McIlroy had to wait three years to defend his 2019 title because of the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled golf´s fourth-oldest championship the last two years.
“I need to set myself a number and be super aggressive,” McIlroy said.
Finau had the best round of the week, eagling the par-5 ninth in a front-nine 29 and making four birdies and a bogey on the final nine. He won the FedEx Cup playoff opener last season at Riviera for his second PGA Tour victory.
“I knew I was playing well, but at any given moment on this golf course you can make a number,” Finau said. “So, there´s no reason to get ahead of myself. I just tried to stay in the moment as much as I could and put together a nice round all the way to the end.”
PGA champion Justin Thomas (63), Colonial winner Sam Burns (65), Wyndham Clark (68) and Alex Smalley (67) were 9 under.
Thomas eagled the par-5 15th. “It was very – it was easy,” Thomas said.
“I mean I just, I played really solid. I didn´t do anything great. I just didn´t do anything bad. … I took advantage of some of the opportunities when I had them there in kind of the middle of the course and just stayed patient and waited for my run.”
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