Tag: 4 Aces

RangeGoats and Ripper: LIV Golf League unveils 12 teams, captains ahead of 2023 opener

The 14-event league begins its 2023 season later this month in Mexico.

Later this month the rebranded LIV Golf League will begin its 14-event 2023 season at a former PGA Tour stop in Mexico.

Before the shotgun start at Mayakoba’s El Camaleón Golf Course on the Riviera Maya, Feb. 24-26, the upstart circuit led by Greg Norman and financially supported by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund revealed its 12 teams and captains for the new season. With just 17 days until the season begins, the league has yet to reveal the rosters for 2023.

Those who watched LIV in its debut season in 2022 will notice not much has changed in regards to the teams, but a few have new logos and two even changed names. Take a look at the 12 teams, captains and logos for the LIV Golf League in 2023.

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LIV Golf schedule: What you need to know about the 2023 events

Dustin Johnson continues strong play, opens with 63 at LIV Golf Chicago

Dustin Johnson is on a hot streak.

It’s safe to say Dustin Johnson is playing good golf right now.

Coming off his win two weeks ago at LIV Golf Boston, his first worldwide victory since February 2021 where he hit a long eagle putt on the first playoff hole, Johnson is off to an excellent start at LIV Golf Chicago at Rich Harvest Farms. The par-72, 7,408-yard layout was no match for Johnson on Friday, who opened in 9-under 63 to take a three-shot advantage over Cam Smith, who shot 66.

“The course is great … it’s in perfect condition,” Johnson said. “I played really nicely, hit the ball really well. Hit it close to the hole a lot of times, all day long, so obviously put together a really nice score.”

Johnson went out in 6-under 30, including four straight circles on the card from Nos. 6-9. He missed a birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole that would’ve tied him with the lowest score (62) in any LIV event thus far.

“The game is in really good form,” he said. “It’s been solid day in and day out, so seeing a lot of the same shots and very consistent. That’s always what I’m looking for, just consistency in the flights and in what I’m trying to do, and obviously right now it’s going pretty well.”

Smith, who finished a shot out of a playoff and tied for fourth during his first event in Boston two weeks ago, continued his strong play, as well.

“This is my first time here. I love it,” Smith said. “I think the course is great. I think it played great today, firming up a little bit.”

Johnson’s 4 Aces, which have won the past three events in the team competition, again are in the driver’s seat at 11 under following the first round. Punch, which Smith captains, is in second at 10 under.

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Dustin Johnson jars eagle putt to win LIV Golf Invitational Boston event on first playoff hole

It came down to the 55th hole.

Dustin Johnson’s putt was coming in hot.

He smashed an eagle putt up the hill on the 18th green at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts, knowing if it went in, he would win. It carried speed when hitting the back of the hole, bounced up and them tumbled in.

Johnson’s eagle putt gave him a victory on the first playoff hole at the LIV Golf Invitational event in Boston, the series fourth event. It is the first time there has been a playoff, and Johnson is the first American to win a LIV event.

“It’s a great victory,” Johnson said “Obviously we’ve got a great field, a lot of great players. Yeah, it’s up there for sure.”

Johnson beat Joaquin Niemann and Anirban Lahiri, who both were playing in their first LIV event after leaving the PGA Tour, in the playoff. Lahiri had a short birdie putt and Niemann had one for par when Johnson made his eagle.

Lahiri missed a short eagle putt on the 18th hole that would’ve given him an outright victory.

The 4 Aces, which is Johnson’s team and also consists of Talor Gooch, Pat Perez and Patrick Reed, won their third straight event, ending at 32 under. Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers finished second at 30 under while Lee Westwood’s Majesticks came in third at 27 under.

“I felt like we had a really good read on it,” Johnson said of his putt. “I might have hit it a little harder than I wanted to, but as soon as I hit it, I’m like, ‘whoa,’ and then it was on a good line, and I’m like, ‘hit the hole, hit the hole, hit the hole,’ and it went in somehow. I think the hole is indented for sure.”

Lee Westwood made a bogey on the final hole to finish one shot out of the playoff at 14 under. Cam Smith, the world No. 2, bogeyed his second-to-last hole and also finished at 14 under in his LIV Golf debut.

LIV’s next event is in Chicago at Rich Harvest Farms in two weeks.

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