LIV Golf TOUR
Chicago
Cam Smith Wins LIV Golf Chicago
Australia’s Cam Smith has made a quick start on the LIV Golf Tour winning Chicago in just his second event on the controversial breakaway tour. The world No. 3 finished T4 two weeks ago at Boston.
Staged at Rich Harvest Farms, one of America’s top 100 courses, Smith outlasted Dustin Johnson and Peter Uihlein by three shots earning the 29-year-old US$4 million in prizemoney.
Smith opened the event with a superb bogey-free 6-under 66. He then produced a 4-under 68 to take a two-shot lead over Dustin Johnson heading into the third and final round. Smith, who won the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews in July, held his nerve on Sunday carding a 3-under 69 to reach 13 under. After a tight tussle during the final round with playing partners Johnson and Uihlein, Smith pulled ahead by three shots after a stunning birdie at the difficult par 4, 17th hole. With his birdie at the last hole, Smith claimed his fourth tournament victory during 2022 after already scoring three wins on the PGA Tour.
Johnson was searching for back-to-back wins after claiming Boston in a playoff a fortnight ago. The former world No. 1 fired a sizzling 9-under 63 on Day One. The American finished the event with rounds of 73 and 70 for a 10-under total. Compatriot Uihlein signed for a final round 3-under 69 to finish in a tie for second place.
Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann took a share of fourth place at 8-under. Phil Mickelson produced the best round on Sunday. His 6-under 66 moved him to a tie for eighth place.
The Four Aces won the Team event at 24-under by one shot. The four-man squad of Dustin Johnson, Talor Gooch, Pat Perez and Patrick Reed will split US$3 million in prizemoney.
The LIV Golf Tour moves to Bangkok for the LIV Golf Invitational Thailand from October 7-9.
Final Scores
Chicago
1. Cameron Smith -13
T2. Dustin Johnson -10
T2. Peter Uihlein -10
T4. Sergio Garcia -8
T4. Joaquin Niemann -8
T6. Louis Oosthuizen -7
T6. Charl Schwartzel -7
T8. Laurie Canter -6
T8. Bryson DeChambeau -6
T8. Phil Mickelson -6
T8. Chase Koepka -6
Other Australians
T16. Matt Jones -4
T35. Jed Morgan +3
T38. Wade Ormsby +4
T44. Marc Leishman +6
Photo credit: Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf via Getty Images
