The Showdown involving Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka was always likely to be much more significant than the final result between the two teams at Shadow Creek.
Ultimately, it was Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy who secured the victory – in relatively emphatic fashion. The PGA Tour pair did not lose a single match across the three sessions. In fact, the fifth and sixth holes were not even played after the pair won the fourballs so comfortably.
These exhibition matches have rarely brought the best out of the players involved. Many will remember just how disappointing the first edition of The Match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson was – even with a lengthy play-off to decide the winner of the $9 million prize.
And in hindsight, it is probably no surprise that Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka were unable to keep up with their opponents.
Fans mock as LIV Golf react to The Showdown result
Scheffler won the Hero World Challenge by six shots earlier this month, while McIlroy triumphed at the DP World Tour Championship in November. Meanwhile, the LIV Golf season finished in September – and the 2025 campaign does not begin until February.
The PGA Tour made a big mistake by barely publicising The Showdown, and has now left itself with little room to celebrate the win of their superstars. Unfortunately for LIV Golf, they may now wish that they had taken a similar approach.
LIV did post content from the event ahead of The Showdown. And with that, their post after Scheffler and McIlroy’s victory has attracted plenty of responses.
‘Tough watch across the board’
The league’s X account labelled the game of golf and its fans the winner from the event. Not only have they been mocked by some for trying to switch the focus onto the bigger picture, but there are also some fans who have criticised the event as a spectacle.
Some clearly enjoyed the matchup and felt that it delivered, but plenty were largely left underwhelmed…
Mike Joseph wrote: I watched…a bit boring…not enough chatter and the golf from LIV side was bleak.
Chris Reilly wrote: Brooks and Bryson would be the 13th and 19th best players on the tour in its current state
Matt wrote: Entertaining and enjoyable.
Nathan Tilbury wrote: Exactly what you say when you lose
Chris wrote: Says the group that divided it
James Hunter wrote: Not at all. Was a shutout. So boring.
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