Johnson, who earned a reported $150 million by signing as much as the Saudi-backed enterprise, pockets one other $4 million as his share of the team prize cash so as to add to the rewards he gained by means of successful the debut season’s particular person title.
Team Captain Dustin Johnson, Talor Gooch, Patrick Reed and Pat Perez of Team 4 Aces GC on the rostrum after successful the team championship stroke-play spherical of the LIV Golf Invitational – Miami at Trump National Doral Miami on 30 October 2022 in Doral, Florida. Picture: Eric Espada/Getty Images/AFP
DORAL – American Dustin Johnson’s 4 Aces squad received the inaugural LIV Golf Series team championship at Trump National on Sunday to assert the $16 million high prize.
Johnson, who earned a reported $150 million by signing as much as the Saudi-backed enterprise, pockets one other $4 million as his share of the team prize cash so as to add to the rewards he gained by means of successful the debut season’s particular person title.
Between team prizes all through the season and particular person occasion wins, plus his $18 million bonus for claiming the 12 months’s particular person crown, Johnson ends the inaugural LIV marketing campaign with an eye-watering $35 million in earnings.
“Personally, my season, yeah, you add up the numbers and it was great, but I played good – I didn’t play my best, so it always could be better, but that’s golf,” Johnson stated.
“But I’m just happy that the 4 Aces just won this tournament. That’s all that matters,” he stated after taking pictures a two under-par 70 on the Doral Blue Monster course.
Johnson’s all-American team – that includes Talor Gooch, Patrick Reed and Pat Perez – shot a mixed 7-under 281, successful by a shot over Cameron Smith’s all-Australian Punch GC.
British Open champion Smith shot an excellent 65 and jousted with Johnson till the demise.
The successful team have been sprayed by champagne on the ultimate inexperienced on a day wherein $34 million in prize cash was distributed to the 4 groups within the closing.
While the celebrations have been real and the team format definitely generated enthusiasm from gamers and attracted a good crowd to the South Florida course owned by former US President Donald Trump, the primary LIV season has triggered division inside golf that exhibits no indicators of ending.
Reports recommend LIV Golf is trying so as to add extra high gamers to its lineup forward of an expanded 14-event second season.
Johnson stated LIV will go from energy to energy.
“Just look at what happened today,” he stated. “Obviously, yeah, it was a team effort, but coming down the 18th hole, it ended up coming down to me and Cam playing the 18th hole to see who wins the team championship.
“You could not have drawn it up any higher, however I feel that is what LIV is. Look in any respect the followers. Look how a lot enjoyable they’ve. I feel this season went unimaginable and I feel subsequent season goes to be even higher.”
With legal cases heading to courts, disputes over world ranking points and Ryder Cup eligibility issues for LIV players, the rancour in the golf world doesn’t look to soon fade, not to mention criticism over the financial backing of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF over human rights issues in Saudi Arabia.
But on Sunday, LIV players were in a bullish mood and Perez used the occassion to make his feelings clear about criticism of the new circuit.
“All the pushback, all of the adverse feedback, all the things we have gotten, at this level, I actually do not care. I imply, I do not care. I’m paid. I do not give a rattling,” Perez said.
“My team performed unbelievable this 12 months. I really feel like I’m actually a part of one thing that I’ve by no means been a part of, aside from me and my caddie, we have simply been simply us our entire life.
“To have these guys and their caddies and families and coaches and everybody, it’s just one big family now. I just couldn’t be any happier. It’s unbelievable.”