Greenbrier Recap: Smash GC breaks out the brooms and sweeps in West Virginia
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. - It’s well known that playing perfect golf is impossible. But Smash Golf Club seemed to get as close to that as possible with a storybook week in the picturesque mountains of West Virginia.
Smash GC made a clean sweep at LIV Golf Greenbrier as Captain Brooks Koepka took the individual trophy for his record-setting fifth LIV Golf League title while his team earned the top spot with a three-shot victory. How impressive was the overall win? Consider this: The team tied for the lowest winning score in LIV Golf history with its 53-under total.
Koepka, playing in the same final group with teammate Talor Gooch, defeated Jon Rahm on the first playoff hole.
“It was a comfortable pairing, obviously playing with Gooch, and getting to be out there was quite fun,” Koepka said. “Obviously, I played with Jon a lot over the last few years, and it’s fun to watch him play. He’s definitely gotten the better of me the last couple of years, so it was nice to get one back on him. This was a nice team win, as well. Everybody played good.”
The team now stands fourth in the season-long team standings and is within striking range to claim the third spot at the next event in Chicago. That is a top priority for Smash GC since the top three teams in the standings following the Chicago event earn a first-round bye at the Team Championship in Dallas.
“We’ve got some firepower and it’s nice when we click on the same week,” said Gooch, who finished T11.
Smash GC entered the final round just one shot back of Ripper GC on the team leaderboard at 35-under, and well ahead of third-place Legion XIII which was five shots back. Koepka and Gooch began Sunday tied for second, just two shots behind Rahm.
Koepka turned it on and shot an impressive final-round 7-under 63, which led to the playoff with Rahm. Koepka capped the win with a par on the first playoff hole, setting off a Smash celebration.
“Brooks has said this before; it takes four of us to win on Sunday,” said Kokrak, who finished in solo third. “We’re standing in first place and I can’t say anything less about what these guys did.”
Reserve player John Catlin, who was filling in for Graeme McDowell, more than did his part. He shot 5-under for the week and finished T37. With all four scores counting on Sunday, he shot a solid 3-under 67.
“I didn’t play very well on Saturday, but I came out to try and give the guys the best chance to win, and I felt like I played pretty solid,” Catlin said. “To be up there (on the podium) was really cool.”
A big reason for the stellar result was the team’s hot start on Friday. At one point on the back nine in the opening round, Koepka, Gooch and Kokrak were all tied for first place at 5-under.
Smash GC was only one shot off the lead entering Sunday. Helping Smash GC to stay in it during Round 2 was some clutch play by Koepka (6-under 64) as well as contributing scores from Talor Gooch (65) and Kokrak (66).
Gooch had an amazing series of events happen at the par-4 ninth on Sunday. His approach shot from the fairway hit the pin on the fly and his ball ricocheted off the green before coming to rest about 20 yards away. Gooch then stepped up and pitched it in for birdie, getting him within five shots of the lead.
In the end, all the good breaks and great play resulted in two trophies and a week for the record books.
The team will have a chance to catch its breath for nearly a month before heading to LIV Golf Chicago (Sept. 13-15) at Bolingbrook Golf Club. That’s where the 2024 Individual Champion will be crowned before everyone’s attention shifts to the Team Championship Dallas the following week.