DeChambeau Wins LIV Golf Chicago Tourney; Team Europe Retain Solheim Cup with Draw with Team USA

DeChambeau Wins LIV Golf Chicago Tourney – Bryson DeChambeau came back from eight shots down to win the LIV Golf Chicago tournament on Sunday. DeChambeau tamed the Rich Harvest Farms golf course in suburban Chicago with an 8-under-par 63 in the third round. The former US Open champion finished the 54-hole event at 13-under 200. He was one ahead of Australian Marc Leishman and Indian Anirban Lahiri, who led most of the last round and could have forced a playoff if not for a missed par putt on the 18th hole. The performances of DeChambeau and Lahiri enabled the Crushers to a three-stroke victory in the team competition.

The victory placed the American as top online golf oddsmakers’ favorite in the season finale in Saudi Arabia next month. Meanwhile, Europe retained the Solheim Cup title as they came back and forced a 14-14 draw with the United States in the team championship held at the Finca Cortesin in Spain. It was a positive ending for the Europeans, who fell behind 0-4 in Friday’s opening session as they needed a mighty fightback over the next two days to force a draw and keep the Solheim Cup crown.

DeChambeau Wins LIV Golf Chicago Tourney Event

The 30-year-old holed in six birdies on his back-nine and birdied the par-5 second to grab a share of the lead with Lahiri, who dropped a shot after a bogey at the par-3 15th. At the 18th, the Indian again stumbled as he three-putted for a bogey that allowed DeChambeau to take the Chicago tournament title and his second LIV title in over a month. Another key moment for the American was when he rolled in three straight birdies after stumbling with a bogey on the ninth hole. It allowed DeChambeau to stay in contention and complete a miraculous comeback from eight down after 36 holes.

Lahiri Finishes Second Again in LIV Golf Event, Crushers GC Wins Team Title

Meanwhile, Lahiri took home his fourth runner-up finish in LIV Golf as he also placed second in events held in Adelaide, Bedminster and Boston. The last time he won a tournament was in February 2015 when he captured the titles in Malaysian and Indian Opens. The Indian started the final round three shots adrift but he zoomed to the lead at 12-under following birdies on the second and fourth holes. Second-round leader Sebastian Muñoz dropped back to second after bogeys on the third and fourth holes.

The Indian had another birdie on the par-5 10th to grab a share of the lead and took the advantage once more after Muñoz floundered with two more bogeys on the 11th and 13th holes. He held on to the lead until the closing hole as DeChambeau edged him out. Lahiri had a 2-under-par 69 round and finished with a 12-under 201. DeChambeau and Lahiri led the Crushers GC to a three-shot win over the Sergio Garcia-led Fireballs GC. DeChambeau, Lahiri, Charles Howell III and Paul Casey had a 54-hole team total of 33-under as the Fireballs GC finished the tournament at 30-under

Australian Leishman sizzled with a 5-under 66 to capture joint second at 12-under. He had seven birdies on the second, fifth, seventh, ninth, 10th, 16th and 18th holes to make amends on his double bogey at the fourth hole. Muñoz finished fourth at 11-under after a 2-over third round. Peter Uihlein, Henrik Stenson, Talor Gooch and Abraham Ancer shared fifth to eighth places at 10-under while Richard Bland and Dustin Johnson finished ninth after having a similar 9-under total after 54 holes.

Europe Retain Solheim Cup as Ciganda Completes Comeback

Carlota Ciganda of Spain buried back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to help Team Europe retain the Solheim Cup despite ending up in a 14-14 tie with Team USA on Sunday. Home favorite Ciganda’s two consecutive birdies was enough to beat US bet Nelly Korda and secured Team Europe’s 14th point of the tournament and retained the Solheim Cup trophy. American Lexi Thompson defeated Emily Pedersen in the final match to end the event at 14 apiece.

It was the first time in Solheim Cup history that the competition ended in a draw. It was also the first time Europe held the cup for the third consecutive time. Team Europe also completed the mighty comeback from 0-4 down in the opening session on Friday to retain the team event for women’s golf. Caroline Hedwall was also a hero for the Europeans as she turned a three-hole deficit into a 2-up win over Ally Ewing. Leona Maguire defeated Rose Zhang, 4-and-3, to give Team Europe the first point. Megan Khang responded for the Americans with a win over Linn Grant, 1-up. Danielle Kang put Team USA ahead, 10-9, with a 4-and-2 conquest of Charley Hull.

Anna Nordqvist scored a 2-and-1 win over Jennifer Kupcho to tie the game at 10 apiece. The Americans gained two more points after Lilia Vu and Angel Yin secured wins over Madelene Sagstrom and Celine Boutier, respectively. Europeans Georgia Hall and Gemma Dryburgh had an all-squared ending in their singles matches against Andrea Lee and Cheyenne Knight. The matches set up the heroics of Ciganda and Hedwall, who helped Europe to move up 14-13 with wins over Korda and Ewing, respectively. Thompson managed to tie the showdown with a win over Pedersen in the final encounter.

The ending was a disappointment for Team USA, who allowed the Europeans come back from a 0-4 deficit and extended their team title drought to six years. The last time they captured the title was in 2017 at Des Moines, Iowa. The result shocked the sports betting public who were not counting on a draw as the conclusion for the eventful women’s team tournament. The result would cause the oddsmakers to place extreme caution on the next team tournament – the Ryder Cup – which is just a few days away.