Neimann prevails in the dark as Lahiri makes his mark at Mayakoba LIV event

India star Anirban Lahiri fired a closing 4 under par 67 to help LIV Golf League defending team champions Crushers GC finish second overall as Chile’s Joaquin Niemann pipped Sergio Garcia of Spain in a dramatic playoff that ended in near-darkness at Mayakoba on Sunday.

Last year, the Crushers won both the team event at the El Camaleon course as well as the individual title through Charles Howell III. This time, they finished just behind Jon Rahm’s new Legion XIII on 20 under par to the winning total of 24 under by the debutants.

Lahiri upped his game when it was most needed in a round that mixed a chip-in eagle, five birdies with three dropped shots as the Crushers climbed from fifth place overnight to the second step on the victory podium. Ahead of them, a strong LIV Golf debut by England’s Tyrell Hatton (7 under 64) with good support from the rest pushed Legion to a memorable debut.

The man of the late, late hour though was Neimann, whose Sunday started with a two-stroke penalty but ended in a champagne bath as he birdied the fourth playoff hole to beat Spanish legend Garcia and win his first individual LIV Golf title after four team victories last season.

“I’m pretty happy that the day ended this way, especially how the morning started,” said the Chilean. “I think dinner is going to taste a little bit better than breakfast.”

Jon Rahm bogeyed his final two holes to miss the playoff, but his Legion XIII captured the team trophy in an impressive LIV Golf debut, earning the title by four shots after coming together virtually three days before the season-opener in Mexico.

Legion XIII returned a 14 under for a cumulative four-day total of 24 under against 20 under by the Crushers, which was some consolation for Masters champion Rahm, whose two late bogeys scuppered a title run.

“It's very nice in a day in which in any normal tournament I probably would have been upset at my finish to actually have something to celebrate,” said Rahm, who joined LIV Golf in December. “That is one of the big reasons why I decided to transition.”

It was a drama-filled final 18 holes at El Camaleon that started even before the first tee shot was struck when Niemann’s 4-shot lead through 36 holes was reduced to two shots due to a rules violation regarding incorrect relief in Saturday’s round.

But the Torque GC captain – who opened the tournament with a 12-under 59 on Friday –shot a 1-under 70 to finish at 12 under to match Garcia, who closed with a 66 to make his second unsuccessful LIV Golf playoff having lost last year in Singapore to Talor Gooch.

Over the first three playoff holes, the par-5 18th, Niemann and Garcia and as the light faded Garcia’s approach shot on the fourth playoff hole found the rough near the greenside bunker while Niemann’s finished on the fringe. He buried the putt as the nearby scoreboard provided light.

“The last putt, which it was super dark, I think it probably helped me just not being so picky on picking my spot and just looking at the hole, getting a feeling and just get it there,” said the 25-year-old Niemann. “It was the best way to end it up. I wanted to make a putt on the last one to win.”

Rahm’s 10 under gave him a share of third place with Stinger GC’s Dean Burmester and his 1-under 70 was the highest score of the four Legion XIII players. While Hatton contributed the team’s lowest score, Kieran Vincent added a 69, but the most impressive performance may have been from 19-year-old Caleb Surratt, making his professional debut this week.

After a four-putt triple bogey at the par-4 17th, the former University of Tennessee star reeled off five consecutive birdies to card a 4-under 67. Those birdies were vital for Legion XIII to hold off the hard-charging Crushers down the stretch.

“I told myself after that triple that I'm not going to be shaken from anything that happens,” said Surratt, who only recently moved out of his dorm room at the University of Tennessee. “I put my head down and played.”

Amid all the celebrations, an ace by Englishman Richard Bland, who celebrated his 51st birthday on Saturday almost slipped by unnoticed. On the 152-yerd par-3 eighth hole, Bland landed his tee shot just short of the pin and watched it roll in before confirming the feat with his playing group.

Final scores

1. Legion XIII -24 (Hatton 64, Surratt 67, Vincent 69, Rahm 70)

2. Crushers GC -20 (Lahiri 67, DeChambeau 68, Howell III 68, Casey 68; Rd. 3 score -13)

3.Torque GC -17 (Niemann 70, Muñoz 70, Ortiz 70, Pereira 70)

4. Stinger GC -16 (Oosthuizen 67, Grace 68, Schwartzel 70, Burmester 70)

5. Ripper GC -16 (Jones 66, Smith 67, Leishman 70, Herbert 71)

6. Fireballs GC -13 (Garcia 66, Ancer 67, Chacarra 71, Puig 71)

7. Smash GC -12 (Koepka 68, Gooch 68, McDowell 72, Kokrak 73)

8. Cleeks GC -9 (Bland 67, Kaymer 67, Samooja 70, Meronk 73)

9. Majesticks GC -7 (Westwood 69, Horsfield 69, Stenson 70, Poulter 71)

10. RangeGoats GC +2 (Wolff 68, Uihlein 71, Watson 73, Pieters 73)

11. HyFlyers GC +2 (Steele 70, Ogletree 70, Tringale 71, Mickelson 74)

12. 4Aces GC +3 (Johnson 67, Perez 71, Reed 73, Varner III 77)

13. Iron Heads GC +6 (Na 70, Kozuma 71, Vincent 74, Lee 75)