Legion XIII PIP Crushers for LIV team title in a nail biting play-off

Members of Legion XIII (from the left) Tyrrell Hatton, Caleb Surrat, Jon Rahm and Tom McKibbin, who won the team championship of the season in Plymouth, Michigan on Sunday and beat Crushers GC in a play-off. Image Courtesy Liv Golf.

A correspondent

Plymouth, Michigan: After having leaning heavily on the impressive versions of their young rising stars all weekend, Legion XIII trusted on their two most important artists in a dramatic play -off to win the largest team prize in Liv Golf.

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton each went to surpass the second play -off hole to surpass Bryson Dehambeau from Crushers GC for the Michigan Team Championship for a packaged gallery at the Cardinal at Saint John’s.

It was the first championship of Legion XIII to join the competition as an expansion team after last season.

Not only was it combined with the four desired team of Legion, it also completed the sweeping of Liv Golf’s top trophies for Rahm, who won his second consecutive individual championship in Indianapolis last week.

“Neither Tyrrell or I had a great day today, and even in the entire week I don’t think we played our best,” said the Legion captain.

“But the young boys were a bit of a beacon of strength. … They carried us all the way to the end. Just so proud of them.”

Young guns

The young boys were 21-year-old Caleb Surrat and 22-year-old Tom McKibbin, the big contributors in the last round of Sunday’s stroke game.

Surratt led the team with a 6 under 64 while McKibbin took a 65 shot. In the first two rounds they worked together to win both square races, while Rahm and Hatton each went 1-1 in Singles.

At one point it seemed that the heroic deeds of the young people might not be enough. After a hot start, Rahm has 12 consecutive holes parred. Hatton meanwhile made one birdie and 11 pars in his first 12 holes.

The crushers-on search for their second championship title-opens in the meantime a five-stroke lead early on the back nine.

The foursome of Deschambeau, Casey, Anirban Lahiri and Charles Howell III were 17 under 12 holes. Surratt saw the shortage but was not worried.

“I think that is part of what makes our team really special, because we have four boys who, I think, trust each other,” Surratt said.

Fixed bond

“There are no other three boys with whom I wanted to be five back at that time. So I was really, very proud of the fight.”

The other team in the championship bar, the All-South African Stinger GC, hit a silence after an impressive front Nine and would eventually fall from the pace.

Rahm and Hatton finally started to make a few puts to falter in the Brekers. Both Birdied de Par-4 17th and 18th Holes, Rahm to shoot 65 and Hatton for a 66.

That forced dechambeau to match what he did, ending with two birdies to close his brilliant bogey-free 8 under 62, the lowest round in the field.

With Legion XIII and the crusers who both finished at 20 Under, a play -off was necessary, the outcome based on the aggregated score of two selected players of each team.

Dechambeau chose himself and Casey, who had shot a 5 under 65. The Legion XIII choice was simple, despite the great play of the young people.

Missed opportunities

On the first play -off hole, Casey and Rahm miss bird opportunities from outside 12 feet, but Deschambeau and Hatton made it from the inside from eight feet.

Rahm and Hatton tightened their wigschoten on the second play -off hole and the Brekers could not match.

Casey’s approach did not wear the slope and rolled away from the pen, leaving a long Birdie putt behind.

The Wigschot of Dechambeau hit the rough between the bunker and the green, forcing it to save alone. That left Legion with two simple Birdie Putts for the victory.

“The Playoff was fun,” said Hatton. ‘Of course, I felt nervous, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It shows that it gives you.

“Sometimes it lets you be at those moments, I think, more focused. … We did very well as a team, and it feels great that we have come to the top this week.”

Unique season

His season 2025 has been unique for Rahm. He has not set an individual tournament, but he has celebrated two trophies for the past two weeks.

His seasonal excellence won him the individual championship and his ability to identify young talented golfers, have paid a lot in Michigan.

“If there was ever a question mark or an asterisk because he hadn’t won the entire season without winning, in mind, it will disappear with this,” said Rahm.

“It is a lot of validation for all of us, for the team, how well we did it all year. To get it done – stressful – but we did it. I wouldn’t want it in a different way.” (Courtesy Liv Golf)

End results: Bracket championship

1. Legion XIII -2 (Surratt 64, McKibbin 65, Rahm 65, Hatton 66)

2. Crushers GC -20 (Dechambeau 62, Casey 65, Lahiri 65, Howell III 68)

3. Stinger GC -12 (Burmester 65, Schwartzel 66, Grace 67, Oosthuizen 70)

Playoff (two holes): Legion XIII -3 (Hatton -2, Rahm -1); Crushers GC -1 (Deschambeau -1, Casey E)

Ranking bracket

4. Smash GC -18 (Koepka 65, Kokrak 65, Gooch 66, McDowell 66)

5. Hyflyers GC -14 (Steele 65, Tringale 65, Mickelson 68, Ogletree 68)

6. Couple GC -9 (Ortiz 67, Pereira 67, Niemann 68, Muñoz 69)

7. 4ACES GC -17 (Pieters 63, Johnson 65, Reed 65, Puig 68)

8. Fireballs GC -13 (Ancerer 63, Ballester 68, Garcia 68, Puig 68)

9. Ripper GC -6 (Leishman 66, Herbert 67, Jones 70, Smith 71)

10. Rangeoats GC -7 (Campbell 66, Watson 66, Wolff 70, Uihlein 71)

11. Majesticks GC -6 (Poulter 66, Stenson 66, Westwood 70, Horsfield 72)

12. Cleeks GC +1 (Kaymer 68, Meronk 68, Mix 72, Kjettrup 73)

Also read: Legion XIII, Crushers, Stingers Battle in Liv Golf Team Final

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