Koepka beats Rahm in playoff to win LIV Greenbrier

Brooks Koepka secured his fifth LIV Golf League title in dramatic fashion by defeating Jon Rahm on the first playoff hole at the LIV Greenbrier tournament in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Koepka’s final round of seven-under 63 propelled him into contention, leading to his second victory of the year in the league.

Jon Rahm, a former world No. 1, started the final day with a two-shot lead, following his recent disappointment at the Olympics, where he squandered a four-shot lead on the back nine. Rahm closed with an impressive 65, managing to birdie two of his last three holes to finish at 19-under 191, matching Koepka’s score and forcing a playoff.

In the playoff, Koepka made par on the first hole. Rahm had a chance to extend the match but missed a long par putt, which lipped out after grazing the right edge of the cup. This missed opportunity allowed Koepka to claim victory.

Adding to Koepka’s triumph, his team, Smash GC, clinched the team title, finishing three shots ahead of the all-Australian team, Ripper GC, led by Cameron Smith. The combined efforts of Koepka, Talor Gooch, Jason Kokrak, and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell resulted in an 18-under-par performance on Sunday, pushing their three-day total to 53 under.

Among the Australians, Marc Leishman had the strongest showing, finishing tied for fourth place, just two shots shy of the playoff. Lucas Herbert followed closely, finishing tied for sixth, two shots behind Leishman. Former British Open champion Cameron Smith tied for eighth place at 14 under, while fellow Aussie Matt Jones ended the tournament tied for 20th at 10 under.

Koepka expressed satisfaction in overcoming Rahm in their head-to-head duel. Reflecting on his victory, Koepka remarked, “For whatever reason, he’s always got the better of me a little bit as of late. So it feels nice just to get one.”

The playoff between Koepka and Rahm brought together two of the sport’s most accomplished players, boasting a combined total of seven major championships, with Koepka holding five. Their rivalry, however, was not on Koepka’s mind during the match. “I wasn’t thinking about it,” Koepka said. “It was just one of those things, just go play golf and go get it in the hole as quickly as possible.”