Brooks Koepka emerged victorious over Jon Rahm in a playoff to clinch the LIV Golf Greenbrier title on Sunday, securing his fifth career win on the Saudi-backed series, a record achievement. Koepka, a five-time major champion, managed par on the first playoff hole, while Rahm suffered a bogey. Koepka, who last won on the LIV circuit in May at Singapore, expressed that this victory was particularly cherished due to his intense competition with Rahm throughout the day.
"This is likely my most treasured win," Koepka remarked. "It's always satisfying to compete against top players. Jon is an exceptional golfer. For some reason, he's had the upper hand on me recently. It feels great to finally notch a win against him." Rahm had previously bested Koepka in the final round to claim the 2023 Masters, his second major victory, but Koepka stated that this did not fuel his motivation.
"I wasn't dwelling on that," Koepka said. "It was just one of those moments. Let's go out and play some golf. It's a solid win." Koepka shot a seven-under 63 in the final round, with Rahm following closely with a 65, leaving both golfers tied at 19-under 191 after 54 holes at the Old White course in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. American Jason Kokrak finished third at 18-under, with England's 51-year-old Richard Bland and Australian Marc Leishman sharing fourth place at 17-under.
During the playoff, Rahm's tee shot on the par-3 18th landed at the back edge of a bunker. With one leg in and the other out of the sand, the Spaniard's shot went 20 feet past the hole. Koepka missed his birdie attempt but secured par with a tap-in, while Rahm's par putt missed, handing Koepka the win. Koepka's previous LIV titles were won in Jeddah in 2022 and 2023, Orlando in 2023, and Singapore. Koepka has also won major titles at the 2017 and 2018 US Opens and the 2018, 2019, and 2023 PGA Championships.
Rahm, who also won the 2021 US Open, transitioned from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf last December and secured his first LIV victory last month at LIV Golf UK in England. The 29-year-old Spaniard placed fifth at the Paris Olympics earlier this month. Despite the loss, Rahm maintained his second position behind Chile's Joaquin Niemann in the season standings, with the title to be determined at the upcoming regular-season finale in Chicago.
Rahm sank a five-foot par putt on the 10th hole to tie Koepka at 16-under and ignite the back-nine competition. Bland took the lead at 17-under after three consecutive birdies followed by an eagle on the par-5 12th. Koepka matched Bland with a tap-in birdie on 12 and took the lead with a 15-foot birdie putt on 13, with Rahm also making birdie to stay one stroke behind. Koepka extended his lead to two strokes with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 14th. However, Rahm birdied the 16th and the par-5 17th to tie with Koepka, whose birdie putt on 17 missed, leading to both golfers parring the 18th and entering the playoff.
Rahm, who shot a 62 on Saturday, started Sunday with a birdie to reach 15-under and lead by two. Koepka birdied two of his first three holes to close the gap, and both golfers birdied the fourth. Rahm made a bogey on the sixth, and Koepka took the lead with a birdie on the seventh. Koepka's team, Smash, which included Kokrak, won the team competition at 53-under, defeating Leishman and the all-Australian Ripper squad by three strokes.
