DeChambeau Edges Howell for LIV Golf Korea Title, Ends Victory Drought
Bryson DeChambeau captured the individual title at LIV Golf Korea on Sunday, holding off a fierce challenge from Crushers teammate Charles Howell III to win by two shots at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon.
The victory marks DeChambeau’s first on the Saudi-backed circuit since 2023 and his first win anywhere since claiming the U.S. Open at Pinehurst last summer. It’s a welcome breakthrough for the 30-year-old, who had developed a habit of letting leads slip away. He’d surrendered 36-hole advantages twice on LIV this season in Miami and Mexico City, and most notably faltered at last month’s Masters after leading Rory McIlroy with 16 holes remaining before sliding to a T-5 finish.
Howell made sure DeChambeau had to earn this one. Starting the final round five shots back, the veteran caught fire with nine birdies in his first 15 holes. His blistering 9-under 63 pulled him into a tie with DeChambeau at 17 under with three holes to play.
“I definitely would’ve thought 9 under would have done it, and clearly it didn’t,” Howell said. “Any time you shoot 9 under par in the last group, and you still don’t win, it’s a tough day.”
The deadlock didn’t last long. Howell bogeyed the par-4 16th while DeChambeau closed with back-to-back birdies, including a dramatic 50-footer on the par-3 17th that effectively sealed the deal. DeChambeau’s closing 66 was enough to finally get him back in the winner’s circle.
“Chucky and I had a great battle out there,” DeChambeau said. “He never wavered today, it felt like, until 16. It felt like he was just pushing forward and he was going to shoot 10, 11 under today. I thought, my goodness, I don’t know if I could beat that today.”
DeChambeau admitted to early nerves before finding his rhythm on the back nine.
“I was personally pretty nervous on the front nine for whatever reason. That putt I made on 8 was great, two-putt on 9. After the ninth hole, I don’t know what hit me, I just said, you know what, just play like a kid again, and I started doing that on the back nine and striped a 3-wood on 11, gave me a lot of confidence. … Finally on 17, just the bubble burst, and I felt really good.”
The day wasn’t a total loss for Howell, as the Crushers claimed the team title at 35 under, nine shots clear of Brooks Koepka’s Smash.
With the win, DeChambeau jumps to second in LIV’s individual standings behind only Joaquin Niemann, who’s already collected three victories this season.
PGA Championship Looms
DeChambeau, currently ranked No. 12 in the Official World Golf Ranking, now turns his attention to the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in two weeks. LIV’s schedule gives him plenty of preparation time, with the circuit’s next event not until June 6-8 outside Washington, D.C.
“My goal is to win every tournament that I show up to,” DeChambeau said. “Scottie [Scheffler] is on a great run. Joaquin Niemann is on a great run. Jon Rahm has been playing well. There’s a lot of star-studded talent out there right now that’s going to be in the PGA Championship. We’re going to be battling it out.”
Interestingly, DeChambeau’s list of contenders notably omitted Scheffler’s name, despite him being the reigning Masters champion and world No. 1.
