– Dallas, and more specifically the Maridoe Golf Club, has rightfully earned a place in the history of LIV Golf. The Texas tournament, which concluded this Sunday, has been the craziest and most unpredictable in nearly four years of the Saudi league. It was 18 holes on the edge of a nervous breakdown. The scene was changing at breakneck speed. Finally, Patrick Reed secured his first victory in the million-dollar tour, Sergio García returns to the Open Championship, and Jon Rahm finished outside the top ten for the first time.
– Many improbable things happened this Sunday at the Maridoe Golf Club, undoubtedly, with the permission of Valderrama, the course that has offered the most spectacle in LIV Golf.
For example, it was absolutely unthinkable that the star match would start the final round with a birdie from Patrick Reed and two double bogeys from Abraham Ancer and Paul Casey on the 1st hole.
Similarly, it was unpredictable to guess that Reed, after having a five-stroke lead, would end up in a four-way playoff to win the tournament.
What to say about the idea that Casey, who started with a double bogey, would be one of those four. Or Louis Oosthuizen, who began the day on the 3rd hole. Or Jinichiro Kozuma, who had barely earned about seven minutes of total television coverage in his career in LIV Golf.
It was also entirely unthinkable to foresee that a four-way playoff would be resolved on the first hole, right off the bat. Reed sank a six-metre putt with a devilish break on the 18th to secure his first triumph in LIV. Speaking of strange and scarcely predictable things, it was odd that Reed, Oosthuizen, or Casey had not yet won in this league. Of the three, two remain winless.
– All these strange things happened because the setting provided it. The Maridoe Golf Club was a true minefield. You could see an eagle as well as a quadruple bogey. Reed won by shooting +3 in the final round. Varner III was leading at one point and finished fifth. Hatton let a victory slip away again in the final holes, as in the US Open. And David Puig hovered around the Open spot all day despite starting the round with an ‘8’ on the 1st hole, after hitting three shots in the rough barely moving the ball and deciding to drop with a penalty. It was madness. Lots of rough, lots of water, lots of punishment. But if played well, there was a reward. A great course. Very US Open.
– Sergio García has made it into the Open Championship. He returns after two consecutive years of absence. He didn’t have a good tournament. He finished outside the top 24, who earn points, but it cannot be said that the prize of playing at Royal Portrush is unjust. It is true that right now the one from Borriol is not far from his best moment, but it is also true that this prize is awarded for a career, and at times this season he was indeed the best player in LIV… or among the best.
It also helped, of course, that the four players ahead of him in the LIV ranking after Dallas were already qualified for the Open. This is not very common either. In any case, it is always good news to have one of the best golfers of the last 25 years in this tournament back in the Open. Fingers crossed and hope he regains his best form under the magic of Valderrama, where he plays in two weeks after the BMW International Open of the DP World Tour. There is no better setting for the 2017 Masters champion. For now, there are two Spaniards assured at Royal Portrush: Rahm and Sergio.
– Puig tried everything and was practically all day one or two strokes from the target. It is commendable starting with that quadruple bogey. He made only six pars in his round, four bogeys, a double bogey, a quadruple bogey, an eagle, and five birdies. The best way to define the madness of LIV Golf in Dallas is David’s scorecard. He finished in 13th place. This Tuesday, he will try again to qualify for the Open in the qualifier held at Royal Cinque Ports.
– It seemed impossible and certainly unpredictable that Jon Rahm would end up outside the top 10 in LIV Golf someday. It had to be here. At Maridoe. The one from Barrika paid dearly for a very inconsistent week with the driver and a putter that was not precisely hot this Sunday. Even so, he was just one stroke away from the top 10. And one position.
– Bad week for Josele Ballester (+10). He finished in 48th place. For now, the machine is not starting. It was two rounds of four over par and one of two. Too many mistakes.
– In the team chapter, the Crushers led by Bryson DeChambeau won again, although this time they were led by Casey and Howell III.
