Schwarzel "I am the inaugural LIV Golf champion"... 6.1 billion won jackpot

LIV Golf Invitational Series Opening Event Won by 1 Stroke
2nd Place Du Plessis Also Earns 3.7 Billion Won

Chal Schwartzel is cheering after securing victory at the opening event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series. London, England - Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Charl Schwartzel (South Africa), ranked 126th in the world, has become the inaugural LIV Golf champion.

On the 11th (local time), Schwartzel recorded a final total of 7-under-par 203 strokes despite losing 2 strokes in the final 3rd round of the LIV Golf Invitational Series opening event held at Centurion Golf Club in London, England (par 70, 7,032 yards), edging out Hennie du Plessis (South Africa) by one stroke to win.

With this victory, he took home a prize of $4 million (5.1 billion KRW). Schwartzel also won the team event as part of 'Team Stinger' alongside du Plessis, Louis Oosthuizen, and Brandon Grace (all from South Africa), adding $750,000. In total, he hit a jackpot of $4.75 million (6.08 billion KRW) from this tournament alone.

This tournament is a new professional golf tour sponsored by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). Forty-eight players were divided into 12 teams through a draft system and played 3 rounds without a cut-off. The total prize money per event reaches $25 million, including $20 million for the individual competition and $5 million for the team competition. Even the last-place finisher receives $120,000. The team event winner, consisting of four players per group, receives $3 million.

Chal Schwartzel is smiling while holding the trophy right after winning the opening event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series. London (England) = Getty Images / Multibits

Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, started with a 3-stroke lead and recorded 2 birdies, 2 bogeys, and 1 double bogey. After his first birdie on the 8th hole, he faced a crisis with a double bogey on the 12th hole (both par 4s), but overcame it by making a birdie on the 13th hole (par 5). He then recorded bogeys on the 14th and 18th holes but ultimately held on to win by one stroke. Schwartzel exclaimed, "I never dreamed I could earn this much money in golf."

Hennie du Plessis, who finished second, also hit the jackpot with this tournament. Active on the European Challenge Tour and the Sunshine Tour in South Africa, he earned $2.875 million in prize money from his runner-up finish in the individual event and the team victory. This amount is more than five times the €501,540 (about 670 million KRW) he earned on the European Tour from 2015 to this year.

Brandon Grace and Peter Uihlein (USA) tied for 3rd place (5-under-par 205 strokes), and Sam Horsfield (England) finished 5th (3-under-par 207 strokes). World No. 1 Dustin Johnson finished 8th (1-under-par 209 strokes), and Phil Mickelson (USA), the oldest major champion, ended up tied for 33rd (10-over-par 220 strokes).

The second event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series will be held on the 30th in Portland, Oregon, USA.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.