LIV newbie Danny Lee wins lands big win at Tucson league event

Kevin Na’s gamble on bringing in New Zealand’s Danny Lee paid off handsomely in the form of the individual title at the LIV Golf Tucson tournament that ended on Sunday. It was Lee’s first win in almost eight years.

“I’m extremely proud of him,” Iron Heads GC captain Na of the US said on the LIV Golf League website later. “I think I made the right pick.”

“I wasn't even looking at the individual score all day,” added Lee. “I was only asking how is our team doing. That’s the reason why Kevin called. That's why I wanted to win as a team. We were a little bit short on the team, but this individual victory, it means a lot."

“I haven’t won since 2015. I just felt like winning is just not my thing, but today just changed that. It’s just good to see I’m capable of playing some good golf again.”

It was the Korean-born Kiwi’s first professional win in nearly eight years (2015), which coincidentally came in a four-man playoff that he would repeat on Sunday with a birdie putt on the third tie-break hole at the Gallery Golf Club in Tucson.

It was Lee’s second start since joining the LIV Golf League after the season-opener in Mayakoba, Mexico and he beat out Carlos Ortiz of the Fireballs, Brendan Steele of HyFlyers GC and Louis Oosthuizen, captain of Stinger GC in only the second playoff in LIV Golf history.

“Maybe it was a coincidence, I don’t know,” the 32-year-old Lee said. “But it feels pretty amazing right now.”

India’s Anirban Lahiri was involved in the first, that he and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann lost to Dustin Johnson of the US last year at Boston.

In the team event, the Fireballs led by Sergio Garcia beat out 4Aces GC by four shots while Kevin Na’s Iron Heads were third, making it the team’s first-ever podium finish. For the Fireballs,, it was a second title triumph after the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok win last year.

Said Spanish legend Garcia, “Obviously, super-excited about getting another team win after last year in Bangkok, and super-proud of all of them. Especially Carlos, the way he played today. Shame he couldn’t get the individual win. But what a great effort.”

Final standings

1. Fireballs GC (-25): Carlos Ortiz 65, Abraham Ancer 72, Sergio Garcia 73 (Rd. 3 total: -3)

2. 4 Aces GC (-21): Patrick Reed 66, Dustin Johnson 68, Peter Uihlein 68 (Rd. 3 total: -11)

3. Iron Heads GC (-19): Scott Vincent 69, Danny Lee 69, Kevin Na 71 (Rd. 3 total: -4)

4. Stinger GC (-16): Louis Oosthuizen 70, Branden Grace 70, Charl Schwartzel 72. (Rd. 3 total: -1)

5. Ripper GC (-15): Matt Jones 69, Cameron Smith 70, Jediah Morgan 75 (Rd. 3 total: +1)

6. HyFlyers GC (-15): Brendan Steele 70, Cameron Tringale 74, Phil Mickelson 75 (Rd. 3 total: +6)

7. Torque GC (-14): Mito Pereira 67, David Puig 71, Joaquin Niemann 73 (Rd. 3 total: -2)

8. Rangegoats GC (-12): Talor Gooch 69, Harold Varner III 71, Bubba Watson 73 (Rd. 3 total: E)

9. Crushers GC (-12): Paul Casey 70, Charles Howell III 71, Bryson DeChambeau 73 (Rd. 3 total: +1)

10. Smash GC (-8): Matthew Wolff 72, Brooks Koepka 73, Jason Kokrak 73 (Rd. 3 total: +5)

11. Cleeks GC (-5): Richard Bland 68, Graeme McDowell 72, Bernd Wiesberger 72 (Rd. 3 total: -1)

12. Majesticks GC (-4): Sam Horsfield 70, Lee Westwood 73, Ian Poulter 74 (Rd. 3 total: +4)

Final day stats

Driving distance: Peter Uihlein, 331.3-yard average

Longest drive: Dustin Johnson, 376.2 yards (5th hole)

Driving accuracy: Harold Varner III, 100% (14 of 14)

GIR: Carlos Ortiz, Mito Pereira, Talor Gooch, 83.33% (15 of 18)

Least putts: Jason Kokrak, 24 putts