American Harold Varner III beat South African Branden Grace by one stroke to win the LIV Golf Invitational – DC tournament and claim the $4 million prize on Sunday.
Varner, who finished 12 under for the three-round week, birdied his last hole, the par-5 18th, at the Trump National course in Sterling, Va., to avoid a playoff after Grace also made it a birdie on his last hole, the par-4 second.
The victory was the first, as a professional, on American soil for Varner, 32, with his previous victories at the Australian PGA in 2016 and the PIF Saudi International of the Asian Tour last February.
Varner shot a four-under 68 on his final round after setting the tone early with his superb eight-under 64 on Friday.
Grace was in contention with a beautiful lap of 66 without bogey, including two birdies on the last three holes.
But Varner kept his cool and credited his attitude for a composed performance in the final round.
“If you start protecting (the lead) you don’t win. I’ve been in that position. I’ve had enough losses to grow and I think I had people around me to anchor me I don’t think I need to,” he said.
Knowing he had to birdie the last green kept him focused, Varner said.
“I knew exactly what I had to do, when I had to do it, how I had to do it. I love it,” he said. “That’s why you play, that moment. You don’t get as many in golf, like those kind of moments, but that was mine.”
Chilean Mito Pereira had entered the final day with a one-stroke lead but started with back-to-back bogeys and even his eagle on 13 couldn’t help him as he finished with a 71 and two headers .
Brooks Koepka, who won the PGA Championship last week and became the first LIV golfer to win a major since the Saudi-backed tour was founded, finished 14th, seven strokes behind Varner.
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