Ripper GC celebrate after securing the title over 4Aces GC and Iron Heads GC at the season-ending LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship on Sunday. Image courtesy LIV Golf/Mateo Villalba.
From a Correspondent
Carrollton, Texas: In a pressure-packed, topsy-turvy final round at the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship with an ever-changing leaderboard, Ripper GC produced the clutch shots on Sunday to emerge champions for 2024.
The post-round celebration was raucous among the four Australian players, their caddies and staff – and it promises to last for an extended period, including a party that captain Cameron Smith will host this week for his close-knit champions.
“To be a part of this is unreal, especially with these guys,” Smith said.
“Special day,” said Marc Leishman. “Going to be awesome to celebrate with these lads.”
“Indescribable actually,” added Matt Jones. “I’ve got goosebumps right now thinking about it.”
The Rippers completed an impressive season that included an emotional victory in front of their home fans in Adelaide, winning LIV Golf’s first-ever team playoff.
They followed the next week with another team victory in Singapore. They also had three other podium results and entered this week’s finale as the third overall seed.
While seeds four and five lost in the quarter-finals and the top seeds lost in the semi-finals, the Rippers entered the final round as the top remaining seeds.
They shot 11 under as a team to beat 4Aces GC (-8) and Iron Heads GC (-8) by three shots, with Legion XIII (-6) finishing fourth at Maridoe Golf Club.
Tense battle
But the final leaderboard doesn’t reflect the close, tense battle among the four teams throughout the day.
At various points during the back nine, the Aces and Iron Heads also had the lead, while Legion XIII – despite missing captain and 2024 individual champion Jon Rahm, out with an illness on the final weekend – made a late run.
The Rippers took the upper hand on the back nine during a two-hole stretch in which they made six birdies (in a cumulative eight holes played).
Even so, with just a few holes left, all four teams were within two shots of each other. With all scores counting, every team still had a shot.
“Watching the leaderboard today was pretty stressful,” Smith said. “I almost wanted to take my eye off it, but I couldn’t. I was so intrigued with what we had to do.”
Smith led the team with a 4 under par 68, followed by Lucas Herbert’s 69, and 70s by Jones and Leishman. Although the team suffered two double bogeys, they also produced 21 birdies, best among the top contenders.
“At no point today did I feel like we were under the pump or had to do anything,” Smith said. “I think there was a genuine feeling within the team that these guys are going to do the best.”
Disappointing end
Kevin Na and his Iron Heads, the 13th and last seed this season, were close to completing their fairytale run at Dallas.
Na and Jinichiro Kozuma each shot 3 under 69s while Danny Lee added a 70 and Scott Vincent – despite being relegated after Sunday – contributed a level par 72.
The team’s unexpected performance this week was one of the tournament’s biggest and most stirring storylines.
“Overall, I’m pretty pleased,” Na said. “We tied for second. Big week for the boys. Obviously, we want to win. But besides winning, this is second-best.”
Dustin Johnson and his 4Aces, the 2022 champions, showed their pedigree with a gritty effort after a disappointing regular season.
Johnson and Patrick Reed each shot 69s; the only bogey among the two was Johnson at 18 when he found the water with his tee shot. Pat Perez and Harold Varner III contributed 71s.
“It was fun,” Johnson said. “That’s what you want. It was really close all day. All four teams had a chance coming down the stretch. There’s not really any more you can ask for.”
Taking charge
Tyrrell Hatton put Legion XIII on his back, shooting a 68, matching Smith for lowest score in the top tier.
Reserve John Catlin, filling in for Rahm, added a 70, while 20-year-old Caleb Surratt ended his first season as a pro with a 71. Kieran Vincent, another relegated player, had two late birdies for a 73.
“It was always going to be hard with Jon not playing, especially when all four scores count,” Hatton said. “That being said, it’s still disappointing to finish last out of the four today.”
It was the Rippers who constantly answered the big moments while bouncing back from adversity that would’ve derailed other teams.
Consider Herbert, the first-year Ripper, who made an early double bogey at the par-5 seventh. He birdied four of his final five holes, including the par-4 first, his last hole of the day. He celebrated the moment with a huge fist pump.
“Yesterday I made a stack of birdies, so I knew that I had the ability to do that and if I just stuck to my guns, then that would come,” Herbert said. ‘I just kind of needed to get out of my own way a little bit.”
Bouncing back
Or consider Jones, who suffered a double bogey at the par-4 18th, his 15th hole of the day. Jones immediately responded with birdies on the next two holes.
“Wasn’t too happy after the double, considering I’d saw us just tie the lead,” Jones said. “… I knew we were still fighting. I knew the boys would still be fighting.”
Meanwhile, Smith manufactured his score thanks to his usual sublime short game that continued to get him out of tough situations. And Leishman was again a steady presence.
When it mattered down the stretch, the Rippers were clutch. Cumulatively, they played their final six holes in a counting score of 8 under. Asked later why his team had such good closers, Smith had a simple answer:
“We’re Aussies.” (courtesy LIV Golf Media)
Final scores
Tier 1 – Championship
1. Ripper GC -11 (Smith 68, Herbert 69, Jones 70, Leishman 70)
T2. 4Aces GC -8 (Johnson 69, Reed 69, Perez 71, Varner III 71)
T2. Iron Heads GC -8 (Kozuma 69, Na 69, Lee 70, Vincent 72)
4. Legion XIII -6 (Hatton 68, Catlin 70, Surratt 71, Vincent 73)
Tier 2
5. Stinger GC -15 (Grace 65, Schwartzel 66, Oosthuizen 68, Burmester 74)
6. Fireballs GC -14 (Garcia 66, Ancer 68, Chacarra 69, Puig 71)
T7. Crushers GC -2 (Casey 69, Lahiri 70, DeChambeau 73, Howell III 73)
T7. HyFlyers GC -2 (Steele 68, Ogletree 70, Tringale 72, Mickelson 76)
Tier 3
9. Majesticks GC -5 (Horsfield 69, Poulter 71, Westwood 71, Stenson 72)
10. Torque GC -4 (Muñoz 64, Ortiz 71, Niemann 74, Pereira 75)
11. Cleeks GC -1 (Kaymer 70, Bland 70, Samooja 71, Meronk 76)
12. RangeGoats GC +4 (Uihlein 69, Watson 73, Pieters 73, Wolff 77)
13. Smash GC +12 (McDowell 71, Gooch 71, Kokrak 78, Koepka 80)
Also read: Lee stuns DeChambeau as Iron Heads continue dream Dallas run
Discover more from Tee Time Tales
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.