Dustin Johnson fired a 1-under 69 on Saturday to win LIV Golf Las Vegas.
Johnson finished at 12-under 198 for the tournament, edging Talor Gooch and Peter Uihlein, who both finished at 11-under 199 to tie for second. Gooch shot a third-round 67, while Uihlein posted a 68.
It marked Johnson’s third victory on the LIV circuit. He last prevailed at LIV Golf Tulsa in May of 2023.
With such a tightly packed field at this week’s event, Johnson realized there was little room for error on Saturday.
“From the start, from the first tee,” Johnson said of when he felt pressure. “I know obviously conditions is going to be very difficult. A lot of really good players right around the lead. Playing with Bryson (DeChambeau) and Jon (Rahm), it was going to be a tough day. It was going to be a fight all day, especially with the conditions.
“The golf course played — I thought it played really difficult, and I had a really tough time early just figuring out the wind and how much it was going to move the ball. But yeah, kind of hung around there, and then obviously played really good my last seven, eight holes.”
Those last seven holes for Johnson ended up being bogey-free, consisting of three birdies. He also birdied the par-5 first hole, helping to offset his three bogeys.
Uihlein racked up four birdies against two bogeys, but it wasn’t enough to catch Johnson for the lead.
“I figured whatever DJ did on 17 was going to — if he made birdie — that was the easy hole coming in. Obviously he birdied 15,” Uihlein said. “But 16 and 18 are tough, so I figured if he birdied 17, it was pretty much his, but if he didn’t, I felt like I had a chance for a playoff.
“He’s a stud for a reason.”
Matthew Wolff notched a 1-under 69 on Saturday to finish in fourth — two strokes behind Johnson.
England’s Graeme McDowell earned low-round honors with a 5-under 65, turning in a bogey-free card that featured five birdies, including three straight at Nos. 16-18. He finished tied for fifth alongside countryman Paul Casey (68 on Saturday) and Jason Kokrak (69).
Spain’s Rahm landed in eighth at 8-under 202, and DeChambeau was one of three golfers tied for ninth at 7-under 203.
In team competition, Smash GC prevailed with a 33 under. Gooch, Kokrak and McDowell are all on the squad, which is captained by Brooks Koepka.
“I think the guys played really well,” Koepka said. “G-Mac I think had 5 under. Impressive (Saturday) with the way the wind is. He’s a good competitive player, and happy to have him here. Gooch obviously played really well, and J did what he was supposed to do. Happy to get the team win, and just excited that it’s the start of many things.”
4Aces GC came in second at 26 under, and RangeGoats GC round out the top three at 24 under.
–Field Level Media
