In a pressure-packed, topsy-turvy final round at the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship, with a leaderboard constantly churning and all four championship contenders tightly bunched, Ripper GC produced the clutch shots down the stretch to emerge as champions for 2024.
The Sunday 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 Team Championship as the third overall seed.
While seeds No 4 and 5 lost in the quarter-finals and the top two seeds lost in the semi-finals, the Rippers entered the final round as the top remaining seed. They shot 11 under as a team to beat 4Aces GC (eight under) and Iron Heads GC (eight under) by three shots, with Legion XIII (six under) finishing fourth at Maridoe Golf Club.
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 not having captain and 2024 individual champion Jon Rahm, out with an illness on the final weekend – making 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 four-under 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.”
Kevin Na and his Iron Heads, the 13th and last seed this season, were close to completing their Cinderella story, with Na and Jinichiro Kozuma each shooting three-under 69s while Danny Lee added a 70 and Scott Vincent – despite being relegated after Sunday – shooting even par. The team’s unexpected performance this week was one of the tournament’s biggest and 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 team 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.”
Tyrrell Hatton put Legion XIII on his back, shooting a four-under 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-five 7th. He birdied four of his final five holes, including the par-four 1st, 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.”
Or consider Jones, who suffered a double-bogey at the par-four 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 eight under. Asked later why his team had such good closers, Smith had a simple answer:
“We’re Aussies.”
Photo: Mateo Villalba/LIV Golf
