Cameron Smith beats Phil Mickelson in LIV Golf crew finale

DORAL, Fla. — Phil Mickelson’s lengthy yr that led him to being a central determine in Saudi-funded LIV Golf ended on Friday when British Open champion Cameron Smith holed a 7-foot birdie putt on the ultimate gap to beat Mickelson and remove his crew.

The LIV Golf Crew Championship-Miami at Trump Nationwide Doral is all match play, with 4 groups shifting on to Saturday’s semifinals to face the 4 groups that had earned byes based mostly on the earlier seven LIV occasions.

Marc Leishman of the Australian crew “Punch” beat Matthew Wolff in a singles match. Within the foursomes match, Bernd Wiesberger and Cameron Tringale of the “Hy Flyers” gained a degree. That left it to the opposite singles match between Smith and Mickelson.

They traded pars for a lot of the entrance 9 — they began on the par-3 ninth within the shotgun begin — and it got here all the way down to the par-5 eighth. Mickelson missed his 8-foot birdie putt, and Smith made his for a 1-up victory.

In one other quarterfinal, Harold Varner III simply dealt with four-time main champion Brooks Koepka, 4 and three, for his “Niblicks” crew. However on this case, Koepka’s brother saved him. Chase Koepka and Jason Kokrak of “Smash” gained the foursomes match for one level, after Peter Uihlein beat James Piot in a battle of U.S. Beginner champions.

Uihlein gained the Beginner in 2010, whereas Piot gained it in 2021.

Ian Poulter and his “Majestiks” simply superior with a sweep of the “Iron Heads” during which not one of the matches went the space. The captains performed one another in all quarterfinals, and that meant Poulter confronted Kevin Na, successful 4 and a pair of.

Graeme McDowell and Richard Bland led the “Cleeks” to victory. Joaquin Niemann of “Torque” gained his crew’s solely level, a 5-and-3 singles victory over Shergo Al Kurdi of Jordan, a late substitute when Martin Kaymer could not play with an injured wrist.

Laurie Canter made a 25-foot putt for a 1-up victory over Jediah Morgan that despatched the “Cleeks” to the following spherical.

Dustin Johnson and his main crew, “4 Aces,” face the Cleeks on Saturday. The opposite matches shall be Sergio Garcia’s “Fireballs” towards Smith and the Punch; Brooks Koepka towards Ian Poulter because the Smash face the Majestiks; and Bryson DeChambeau and his Crushers towards the South African “Stinger” crew led by Louis Oosthuizen.

The 4 successful groups advance to Sunday, which shall be medal play during which each participant’s rating will rely.

Every member of Friday’s shedding groups made $250,000. The losers of Saturday’s semifinals every get $750,000.

Every participant of the successful crew will get $4 million.