Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel claimed a one-stroke victory at the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event.
The 37-year-old was three shots clear of Hennie Du Plessis going into the final round of the 54-hole tournament at Centurion Club and while his fellow South Africa cut into that lead, Schwartzel could afford to bogey the 18th to get the job done with a final round 72.
As winner of the individual event, Schwartzel took home $4m, the biggest purse in golf history, while he was also part of the victorious team and picked up an additional $750,000 for that.
It was an impressive showing from the South African quartet on Stinger GC, one of the teams already assembled before the tournament draft took place. Alongside Schwartzel’s success they had Du Plessis in second, Branden Grace in third and Louis Oosthuizen in tenth, as they finished a full 14 shots clear of Crushers GC .
“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think we could play for that much money in golf,” Schwartzel said.
“As you could see I was taking a bit of heat down the stretch and there was a lot of money involved.”
Peter Uihlein finished alongside Grace on five-under-par, two shots back of Schwartzel, while Sam Horsfield, Dustin Johnson and Talor Gooch all earned top-ten finishes as well. Phil Mickelson finished 34th on his return to the sport.
It brings an end to the first week of the controversial Saudi-backed series. Barely two holes had been played on the opening day when the PGA Tour announced that all those involved had been banned with immediate effect, though the likes of Johnson and Sergio Garcia had already resigned their membership.
Those who competed this week will be able to play in next week’s US Open, after the USGA confirmed no restrictions would be put in place for the major. The DP World Tour has not yet announced its response to the LIV series.
During the final day of competition in St Albans, Patrick Reed and Pat Perez were officially unveiled as the latest players to sign up, with the American duo teeing it up when the series arrives in Portland later this month for the second event.
They will be joined by Bryson DeChambeau, who has also turned his back on the PGA tour, while it has been strongly reported that Rickie Fowler could be one of the next players to to be confirmed when LIV Golf travels to America.
