CARROLLTON, Texas — Cameron Smith and Lucas Herbert delivered clutch putts late in the championship round Sunday to lead Australia-based Ripper to its first team title in the LIV Golf League.
Herbert, who looked as though he might have cost his team with a double bogey and a bogey on two of the par 5s at Maridoe Golf Club, responded with four birdies over his last five holes, the final putt a 12-footer for birdie for a 69.
Smith hit a 60-yard pitch to 12 feet and holed the birdie putt on the 17th to give Ripper the lead for good, and then drilled his tee shot down the middle on the 18th that effectively sealed the win. He shot 68. Matt Jones birdied two of his last three holes following a double bogey. He had a 70, along with Marc Leishman .
Ripper finished at 11-under 277, three shots ahead of 4Aces and Iron Heads.
“To have those three other guys today trying to get the job done, something was telling me we were going to be all right,” Smith said.
It was tight toward the end. The final round featured stroke play in which the scores counted from all four players on the four leading teams. Ripper, 4Aces and Iron Heads were tied for the lead with only a few holes to play until Ripper came up with the clutch putts.