Scheffler, McIlroy win PGA-LIV Showdown against Koepka, DeChambeau
NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy never trailed and needed only 14 holes to beat Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau of LIV Golf in a made-for-TV exhibition Tuesday night that gave fans a chance to see PGA Tour and LIV stars together for the first time outside the majors.
Chalk one up for the PGA Tour, although it was hard to take this seriously because it was more about the show, under the lights at Shadow Creek in temperatures that got so chilly DeChambeau had an oversized puffer jacket even before the sun went down.
There was little banter, sounding more like a regular foursome on the weekend.
As for the golf, it was one-sided. The LIV Golf players never led any of the matches.
The format was one point for a six-hole fourballs match, one point for a six-hole foursomes match and one point each for singles over the last six holes.
McIlroy came out firing and delivered the shot of the match with a 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 fourth hole with DeChambeau already in tight in two. But then DeChambeau missed his eagle try and the PGA Tour side was on its way, winning in four holes.
“Rory getting off to a great start was big for our team,” Scheffler said.
The foursomes was tight and the match looked as though it might end in a draw until DeChambeau sent a long birdie putt on the last hole about 10 feet by, and Koepka missed it coming back for a three-putt bogey that gave the PGA Tour the point it needed.
Scheffler and McIlroy never trailed in singles and the match ended on the 16th hole without viewers getting a chance to see the signature par-3 17th at Shadow Creek.
What it proved was nothing more than the rich getting richer. Scheffler and McIlroy each won $5 million paid in cryptocurrency, adding to Scheffler’s amazing year in which he won just over $62 million. Scheffler and McIlroy were each coming off victories – Scheffler in the Bahamas two weeks ago, McIlroy in the European tour finale in Dubai last month.
Neither DeChambeau nor Koepka had competed since LIV Golf ended its season on Sept. 22.
“I’d love to have another opportunity,” DeChambeau said. “It was a bit of a pillow fight for us.”