{"id":568147,"date":"2026-03-27T16:35:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T16:35:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/568147\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T16:35:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T16:35:22","slug":"in-last-start-before-masters-emotional-bryson-dechambeau-outduels-jon-rahm-to-win-for-second-straight-week-australian-golf-digest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/568147\/","title":{"rendered":"In last start before Masters, emotional Bryson DeChambeau outduels Jon Rahm to win for second straight week \u2013 Australian Golf Digest"},"content":{"rendered":"

[Photo: Johan Rynners]<\/p>\n

LIV Golf\u2019s two biggest stars went head-to-head in a playoff on Sunday in rainy South Africa in the league\u2019s last event before the Masters.<\/p>\n

RELATED: \u2018I think they\u2019re relatively the same\u2019: Bryson DeChambeau makes bold driver claim<\/a><\/p>\n

Jon Rahm erased a three-shot deficit against Bryson DeChambeau in regulation, shooting an eight-under 63 at The Club at Steyn City, but DeChambeau hit an outrageous approach from the trampled-down left rough on the par-5 18th in the playoff to set up an eagle attempt, although, ultimately, birdie was enough to win for the second consecutive week. The approach shot was from 270 metres (295 yards), where DeChambeau hit a 3-wood to 12 feet. Rahm did not find the green with his second shot and failed to get up and down for birdie.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did want to make it, but at the last moment, I\u2019m like,\u00a0Just die it up there, just hit it close,\u201d DeChambeau said of the eagle putt.<\/p>\n

OUTRAGEOUS \ud83d\ude31@brysondech<\/a> SETS UP AN EAGLE PUTT IN THE PLAYOFF#LIVGolfSouthAfrica<\/a> @Crushers_GC<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/vRiHmOahBn<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) March 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

DeChambeau shot 26-under, a week after he topped Richard T. Lee in a playoff in Singapore<\/a>. He now heads to Augusta National in two weeks feeling good about his game, although he was emotional on Sunday because of undisclosed things that happened earlier in the week.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot has happened in the past week,\u201d DeChambeau said of his fifth career LIV title. \u201cI\u2019m just so grateful for my team, the Crushers, everybody supporting me. It\u2019s so funny, golf is a fickle game, and you work so hard at it your whole entire life, and you realise that golf is just golf and there\u2019s a lot more to life than just golf.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had some things happen in the off time during this week, and I was just praying all day, praying to give me the perseverance to move forward and keep looking forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeChambeau appeared like he was going to run away with the tournament when he birdied five of seven holes in the middle of his round. But Rahm came bouncing back and played a three-hole stretch \u2013 eight, nine and 10 \u2013 in four-under-par to sneak closer. Both men had a chance to win in regulation with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole, but both made par. Thomas Detry, Branden Grace and Abraham Ancer tied for third place, three shots behind.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the raucous South African crowd was firmly in the corner of the all-South African Southern Guards team<\/a> of Grace, Louis Oosthiuizen, Dean Burmester and Charl Schwartzel. They once held a nine-shot lead in the team competition on Sunday and the gallery was going berserk. But they failed to close the deal and lost to DeChambeau\u2019s Crushers GC squad by one shot.<\/p>\n

After five events this season, Rahm leads DeChambeau in the individual standings having won once and finishing second three times. DeChambeau has the two victories but also has two finishes outside the top 15.<\/p>\n

Despite finishing in eighth place in South Africa, Cam Smith\u2019s Ripper GC team is atop the team standings, having won the first two events of the season. Dustin Johnson\u2019s 4Aces have two victories and sit in second place.<\/p>\n