MEXICO CITY – Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau is arguably golf’s largest hitter. Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith is arguably the game’s greatest putter. On Sunday at LIV Golf Mexico City, they will face off for the primary time within the ultimate group of a LIV Golf ultimate spherical.
DeChambeau, due to a birdie on the par-3 18th Saturday, grabbed a one-shot lead over Smith. Each shot matching 5-under 66s whereas taking part in collectively throughout Saturday’s second spherical, a precursor to what guarantees to be a dramatic and entertaining end at Membership de Golf Chapultepec.
And if that wasn’t sufficient, the third member of the ultimate threesome is Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann, the present season-long factors chief. Niemann is three photographs off the lead and tied for the low spherical of the day Saturday with a 7-under 64.
“Hopefully Bryson and I and Joaco can placed on a very good present,” mentioned Smith.
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Having spent 18 holes collectively on Saturday, and with 18 extra set for Sunday, DeChambeau (13 beneath) and Smith (12 beneath) left little question how impressed they’re with one another’s largest strengths contained in the ropes.
“It is scary when he will get on the greens,” DeChambeau mentioned. “Each time he will get on the greens, I am like, properly, that is a one-putt. Fairly superior to look at him putt.”
“I want I might drive the ball like him,” Smith mentioned. “I typically marvel how a lot better of a golfer I’d be if I might drive the ball like him.”
Added DeChambeau: “Taking part in within the ultimate group tomorrow will probably be plenty of enjoyable. We will go after it.”
DeChambeau and Smith are every looking for their first LIV Golf particular person titles since 2023 after they mixed to win 4 consecutive occasions close to the tip of the season. Since then, DeChambeau has made 19 LIV Golf regular-season begins and not using a win; Smith’s drought is at 20.
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Fortuitously, they’ve loved success from a staff perspective, with the Crushers profitable the 2023 Group Championship and the Rippers profitable final yr, with each groups additionally accumulating a number of regular-season trophies. The Rippers, on the lookout for their second consecutive win after final month’s victory in Miami, personal a two-shot lead over the Crushers, with Torque GC and Legion XIII tied for third.
Whereas DeChambeau did win the U.S. Open final yr for his second profession main, Smith has made 33 begins worldwide since his final victory. Each are extraordinarily hungry for a person LIV Golf champagne celebration on Sunday.
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“I am attempting to win each week,” mentioned DeChambeau, who additionally led after 36 holes in Miami earlier than ending solo fifth. “Typically I do not carry my greatest recreation, however I am giving it my all and trying my greatest each single time I present up and put a peg within the floor. Tomorrow goes to be no completely different.”
Stated Smith, who’s taking part in within the ultimate group for the primary time since his 2023 win in Bedminster: “Being in competition tomorrow and at the moment was a lot enjoyable. It has been some time for me to be on the high of the leaderboard, so I am actually having fun with it.”
TEAM SCORES
LIV Golf’s new scoring format this season now entails all 4 scores now counting in each spherical within the staff competitors. Listed below are the outcomes and scores for every staff after Saturday’s Rd. 2 of LIV Golf Mexico Metropolis.
1. RIPPER GC -24 (Smith 66, Jones 67, Herbert 71, Leishman 71; Rd. 2 rating: -9)
2. CRUSHERS GC -22 (DeChambeau 66, Casey 69, Howell III 71, Lahiri 71; Rd. 2 rating: -7)
T3. TORQUE GC -19 (Niemann 64, Muñoz 65, Ortiz 68, Pereira 72; Rd. 2 rating: -15)
T3. LEGION XIII -19 (Surratt 64, Hatton 67, Rahm 69, McKibbin 70; Rd. 2 rating: -14)
5. 4ACES GC -18 (Johnson 66, Varner III 67, Pieters 69, Reed 70; Rd. 2 rating: -12)
6. SMASH GC -12 (Gooch 68, McDowell 70, Koepka 71, Kokrak 72; Rd. 2 rating: -3)
7. STINGER GC -5 (Schwartzel 66, Grace 67, Burmester 68, Oosthuizen 73; Rd. 2 rating: -10)
8. MAJESTICKS GC +1 (Westwood 67, Stenson 69, Poulter 74, Horsfield 77; Rd. 2 rating: +3)
9. CLEEKS GOLF CLUB +3 (Bland 66, Kaymer 69, Kjettrup 73, Meronk 75; Rd. 2 rating: -1)
10. FIREBALLS GC +4 (Ancer 69, Puig 70, Masaveu 73, Garcia 74; Rd. 2 rating: +2)
11. RANGEGOATS GC +7 (Uihlein 71, Watson 71, Catlin 73, Wolff 77; Rd. 2 rating: +8)
12. HYFLYERS GC +8 (Mickelson 69, Tringale 73, Ogletree 74, Steele 74; Rd. 2 rating: +6)
13. IRON HEADS GC +27 (Lee 69, Na 72, Kozuma 74, Jang 85; Rd. 2 rating: +16)
Wild Playing cards: C. Lee 74, Kim 77
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This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in partnership with LIV Golf.
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