Charl Schwartzel is not just anyone. The South African (37 years old) has fifteen international victories to his credit, including a big one, the Augusta Masters. Of course, the green jacket of 2011 was the highlight of his career both for the value of the tournament and for the amount of the check obtained ($ 1,440,000), the highest of his entire career; however, this amount was ridiculed this Saturday by bagging in just three rounds of golf at the new LIV Golf circuit. Thanks to his triumph at the London invitational, he added four million more to his healthy checking account and could not help but get excited on the 18th hole. “This is incredible, I have the feeling that I am living a historic moment for world golf,” he declared. the South African once he had secured the first title of the seven that will be up for grabs in 2022 in the Saudi Super League.
It mattered little to him at the time that the PGA Tour had prevented him from playing in his tests in the future, as well as fifteen other players (including Sergio Garcia). The sporting level exhibited in Centurion Golf opened the doors to individual victory (he commanded the classification from start to finish) and also to the group. The team he formed with his compatriots Louis Oosthuizen, Hennie Du Plessis and Branden Grace took the collective first place and each with another $750,000 in prize money.
Despite all the haste shown (they were completing the roster of players until the last moment and they did not finalize their television rights until this Saturday), it seems that the project proposed by Greg Norman can take hold among the golfing public around the world. For those who go live to the fields (after this English appointment five Americans, a Thai and an Arab will come) they will find a schedule more concentrated in five hours (shooting outs allow all games to end at the same time) and a more relaxed atmosphere than in conventional tournaments. Music and drinks take center stage and the fact that it ends on a Saturday also helps people spread out a bit more. In short, that aside from sport, the show is sought. And then, if a well-known player wins, all the better, as has happened in London.
This Saturday, it was enough for Charl to sign two over par to secure victory (-7), as Du Plessis could not catch up with him and fell short. Adrián Otaegui (-2), sixth, was the best Spaniard.
Of the rest of the figures present, only Dustin Johnson (-1) could be under par; García (6) and Phil Mickelson (10) found this first date of their new circuit too hard. For the next one in Portland in July, other “deserters” from the PGA have already been confirmed, such as Bryson Dechambeau, Patrick Reed and Pat Perez.