LIV Golf UK Recap: A united front in the United Kingdom for Smash GC

It was going to take a total team effort for Smash Golf Club to rebound from back-to-back disappointing performances. And that’s exactly what happened.

The team got back to the good ol’ days of contending and finished T3 at LIV Golf UK by JCB. It was a much-needed result considering there are only three events remaining before the Team Championship in Dallas. Smash GC now sits seventh in the season-long team standings, and while that appears to be way down the ranks, the team is only 17 points out of fourth place.

All eyes were on the team to see how they would respond after finishing 12th and 13th in Nashville and Andalucia, respectively. Those questions were quickly answered on Friday when the team entered the weekend tied for second and just one shot off the lead.

The team was led by a revitalized Talor Gooch, who won the season-long Individual Championship in 2023. Gooch didn’t break the top 40 in his past two events, but he was on fire at JCB Golf and Country Club, posting 9 under for the week to finish T6 and just four shots behind the winning score. Gooch was particularly hot during the first two days when he combined to go 8 under, and he was solid on Sunday with a 1-under 70.

Captain Brooks Koepka continues to perform like a multi-major champion. Koepka was 7 under through two rounds, finished T16 and holds the No. 10 spot in the season-long individual standings. His result in the UK was his best since a T9 in Houston in early June.

Teammates Graeme McDowell and Jason Kokrak were also crucial in their team’s finish in the UK. They both concluded the week at 2 under, didn’t hurt the team with any high outlier scores and contributed nicely on a tough course that demanded accuracy and fine-tuned short games.

Smash GC is heading in the right direction, and there is no better time than now for a team to start trending up.

The team will have three weeks off before heading to the United States for LIV Golf Greenbrier, which takes place Aug. 16-18. The Old White Course in West Virginia has been the setting for plenty of memorable performances on the LIV Golf League. Gooch finished T11 here last season and shot a combined 11 under through the first two rounds.

The course has hosted numerous professional events and is known for its tight, tree-lined fairways and undulating greens. It’s the first 18-hole golf course at The Greenbrier and was designed by Charles Blair Macdonald before opening for play in 1914. The course was named for the well-known Old White Hotel, which stood on the grounds from 1858-1922.