Brooks Koepka makes LIV Golf HISTORY while Corey Conners wins again in Texas
Brooks Koepka becomes the first two-time winner in LIV Golf history.
Brooks Koepka became the first man in LIV Golf history to win two titles on the Saudi-bankrolled circuit following victory in Orlando on Sunday night.
Koepka, 32, only dropped two shots over 54 holes as he ran out a one-stroke win over Sebastian Munoz on 15-under par.
The win marks Koepka's second on LIV Golf in less than six months.
It also just happens to arrive on the eve of The Masters where Koepka is bidding to slip on the famous Green Jacket for the first time in his career.
He's already a four-time major champion thanks to two US Open titles (2017, 2018) and two US PGAs (2018, 2019).
BROOKS WINS IT IN ORLANDO! He becomes our first EVER two-time individual winner #LIVGolf @smashgc pic.twitter.com/W9OSBQz1dr
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 2, 2023
Koepka won his first LIV Golf title in Saudi Arabia at LIV Golf Jeddah when defeating Peter Uihlein with a birdie on the third extra hole.
This time around though Koepka got the job done in regulation play by carding a final-round 68.
Koepka wins a cool $4m for winning LIV Golf Orlando. He also takes home an additional $375,000 for his Smash GC finishing runners up to Joaquin Niemann's Torque GC.
Torque, which comprised of individual runner-up Munoz, finished on 36-under par and one shot clear of Smash GC.
Dustin Johnson's 4 Aces GC finished third on 34-under par.
On the individual board, Johnson finished solo seventh on 10-under par. Tournament favourite Cameron Smith finished 5-under par in a tie for 26th. Smith had moved to 10-under earlier in the round but he played holes 10, 11 and 12 in 5-over par, which very much derailed his final-day charge.
Which LIV Golf League player has the best chance of winning The Masters?
— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) April 2, 2023
Koepka birdied the 4th, 8th, 9th and 14th to assume a two-stroke lead with four holes to play, and despite making just his second bogey all week on the par-3 15th, he parred the final three holes to hold on for the win.
Munoz, playing alongside Koepka in the final group of the day, made things interesting down the stretch after chipping in for birdie on the par-4 16th but the Colombian could only match the American's pars down the last two holes.
DRAMA ON CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY! @jsmunozgolf pulls within one stroke of leader @bkoepka after this ice cold chip-in #LIVGolf @torquegc_ pic.twitter.com/xMQx6c45dW
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 2, 2023
Fan angle of Brooks putt is #LIVGolf @SmashGC pic.twitter.com/RDxcEQdV2i
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 2, 2023
Conners wins again in Texas
While Koepka was etching his name on a second LIV Golf trophy, Canada's Corey Conners was doing something similar on the PGA Tour by winning the Valero Texas Open, just as he did back in 2019.
Conners, 31, also carded a final-round 68 to run out a one-shot victory over Sam Stevens on 15-under par.
Back in the winner’s circle ⁰⁰+2400 @FDSportsbook to open the week, Corey Conners is a champion again @ValeroTXOpen.
pic.twitter.com/knY5uEk1Uv— Golfbet (@Golfbet) April 2, 2023
299 yards 9 feet
Sam Stevens is just one shot off the lead @ValeroTXOpen after an eagle on No. 17. pic.twitter.com/9pihK2AuJB— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 2, 2023
He had raced three shots ahead when making birdie on the par-4 15th but Stevens made things very interesting when draining an eagle from nine feet at the short par-4 17th.
Stevens agonisingly missed his birdie putt from inside of 10 feet at the par-5 18th, however, and it left the door open for Conners to make par which he duly did.
The win marks a second career title for Conners on the PGA Tour.
It also made his wife Malory and baby daughter Reis very happy.
Moments like these pic.twitter.com/hreXlhAbij
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 2, 2023
Conners now moves up to 18th in the FedEx Cup.
He will also be in the field at The Masters.
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