Scheffler And McIlroy Ease To Victory Over DeChambeau And Koepka At The Showdown

The PGA Tour's Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy beat LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka in the long-awaited contest in Las Vegas

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy at The Showdown

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy triumphed with ease at The Showdown

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The PGA Tour's Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler eased to victory against LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau in The Showdown

The contest, which was confirmed in September, saw the four big names from the two rival circuits come together in an 18-hole contest at Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas. 

That was seen as symbolic of thawing relations between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf as talks continue between the two organizations over a deal to see the men's elite game reunite after over two years of division. 

Beforehand, it looked like being a closely matched contest, with the PGA Tour team comprising the players, in Scheffler and McIlroy, currently ranked top and third in the world. Meanwhile, Koepka and DeChambeau are the two LIV Golf stars who have won Majors while members of the big-money League, with Koepka having claimed victory in the 2023 PGA Championship and DeChambeau edging out McIlroy at June's US Open. 

However, the PGA Tour team made a flying start, winning the first two holes of the four ball session to set the standard, and they never really looked like letting their grip on events slip. Scheffler and McIlroy went three ahead of their rivals courtesy of a brilliant long putt from McIlroy for an eagle on the fourth, and it was onto the second session of foursomes

Once again, the PGA Tour duo soon took control. After holes seven and eight were tied, Scheffler and McIlroy nudged ahead on the ninth after DeChambeau's par chance missed left. At that point, Koepka and DeChambeau had yet to win a hole, but they rectified that on the 11th when Koepka made his putt to give his team hope after McIlroy narrowly failed to hole a lengthy putt of his own. 

Their joy was short-lived as the PGA Tour team won the next hole to move 2-0 up in the session overall. That left the LIV Golf duo needing to win both singles matches to force a playoff, but it never looked like happening. 

With McIlroy up against DeChambeau in a repeat of their US Open tussle, it was the PGA Tour star who struck the first blow, winning the 13th, while Scheffler followed suit against Koepka. On the 14th, McIlroy extended his lead over DeChambeau, although there was a glimmer of hope for the LIV Golf stars when Koepka pegged Scheffler back.

Even then, though, there was a sense that it was merely delaying the inevitable, and, though McIlroy conceded to DeChambeau on the 15th, Scheffler beat Koepka, so it headed to the 16th. 

There, DeChambeau and Koepka had wayward tee shots. Ultimately, all four ended up on the green with the contest still up for grabs, but Koepka's putt to extend proceedings missed narrowly right. That gave McIlroy and Scheffler an overall victory and bragging rights, at least for now, for the PGA Tour over LIV Golf.

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TEAM PGA TOUR TO START

WHICH TEAM IS THE FAVORITE?

McIlroy’s competing a month or so after claiming the DP World Tour Championship title, and where do we even start with Scheffler after the season he’s had? He’s emerged as the dominant force of men’s golf this year, and plays less than two weeks after the latest in his long list of wins at the Hero World Challenge.

FIRST MINI-SESSION CLOSING OUT?

NOT MUCH IN IT ON THE SEVENTH

TEAM PGA TOUR LOOKING GOOD

STRUGGLES ON THE 13TH CONTINUE

Rory McIlroy at The Showdown

(Image credit: Getty Images)

CLOSE AT THE 14TH

ONE PGA TOUR/ONE LIV GOLF AT THE 14TH

TROUBLE ON THE 15TH GREEN

MCILROY AND SCHEFFLER WIN!

Welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the Crypto.com Showdown. Follow along all evening to see which team prevails.

UPDATES THROUGHOUT

The Showdown is only being broadcast in the US (although if you’re away from home, thanks to the wonders of a VPN, you can still access the streaming services you subscribe to back in the US.)

If you’re not able to watch the action, we’ll have updates here throughout. It begins around 6pm ET (or 11pm GMT).

THE CONTEST THE GOLF WORLD HAS CRAVED!

This year, we’ve had The Match IX featuring Max Homa, Rory McIlroy, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang and The Match Superstars, a pre-recorded affair with an all-celebrity format. But as far as exhibition contests go, The Showdown is the one we’ve been waiting for – and that the golf world has craved for over two years.

Ever since LIV Golf came on the scene, opportunities to see the best players from it and the PGA Tour have been largely limited to Majors. That all changes here, as McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler from the PGA Tour take on LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.

NEW DRIVER FOR BRYSON?

The Golfing Scientist is well known as a player willing to try any minor tweak to maximize his performance, and before the contest, he was seen practicing with a new driver. Here’s what we know about it.

Bryson DeChambeau strikes a tee shot with a driver, whilst a close up of the club is shown in the right corner

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WHAT'S THE FORMAT? 

Here’s a bit more detail on how the 18 holes of action will play out:

WHAT ABOUT THE COURSE?

On the day it was revealed the PGA Tour is dropping Las Vegas event the Shriners Childrens Open after a 42-year run, the city’s Shadow Creek Golf Club hosts The Showdown.

It’s a course to savor, too, and has the most expensive green fees in the US, coming in at north of $1,000. The Tom Fazio-designed course was opened in 1989. Look out for the signature hole - the par-3 17th, which requires a shot over water to a green guarded by bunkers and a waterfall overlooking it.

It's also where Phil Mickelson played Tiger Woods in the first edition of The Match, in 2018, while it was the venue for this year’s T-Mobile Match Play on the LPGA Tour.

Shadow Creek Golf Club

(Image credit: Getty Images)

BROADCASTING DUTIES

There’s even a LIV Golf/PGA Tour rivalry among the broadcast team, with LIV’s David Feherty plus Bubba Watson as an on-course reporter. Trevor Immelman, who regularly covers the PGA Tour on NBC Sports, is also involved, while Charles Barkley will also be part of the coverage.

PERFECT CONDITIONS

US OPEN RIVALRY RENEWED

Just six months and a day since McIlroy’s pursuit of a first Major title in a decade was thwarted by DeChambeau at Pinehurst No.2, the two go head-to-head again.

COIN TOSS UNDERWAY

The coin toss at The Showdown

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CHANCE FOR PGA TOUR DUO

ADVANTAGE TEAM PGA TOUR!

TROUBLE FOR BRYSON OFF THE SECOND TEE

CLASS FROM SCHEFFLER AND KOEPKA

STRIKE TWO FOR TEAM PGA TOUR!

NEW DRIVER FOR RORY

OFF WE GO ON THE THIRD

ALL ON THE GREEN IN TWO AT THE THIRD

HALVED ON THE THIRD

BROOKS AND BRYSON'S FORMER RIVALRY

It's worth remembering that Koepka and DeChambeau used to have a rivalry (the two even played against each other in a 2021 edition of The Match) but the two LIV Golf pros have buried the hatchet. Brooks even described Bryson as a “good dude” last week.

Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau at The Showdown

(Image credit: Getty Images)

TROUBLE FOR BROOKS AT THE FOURTH

PGA TOUR TEAM WIN FIRST SIX HOLE SESSION ON FOURTH!

FOURSOMES SESSION ABOUT TO START

SESSION 2 (FOURSOMES) BEGINS

SLIGHT EDGE FOR TEAM PGA TOUR

SEVENTH HALVED

Rory McIlroy at The Showdown

(Image credit: Getty Images)

EIGHTH HALVED

SCHEFFLER AND MCILROY ON A CHARGE

A GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR BROOKS AND BRYSON

PRIZE MONEY WITH A TWIST

NO LET UP FROM MCILROY!

BOTH MISS CHANCE TO WIN AT 10TH

FINELY BALANCED ON THE 11TH

KOEPKA AND DECHAMBEAU WIN THE 11TH!

Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau at The Showdown

(Image credit: Getty Images)

ANOTHER SESSION TO THE PGA TOUR TEAM!

TWO SESSIONS DOWN, ONE TO GO

NO ATV WIN FOR AN ACE

ANOTHER WIN FOR TEAM PGA TOUR

ALL SMILES FOR PGA TOUR DUO

A BIG EFFORT NEEDED FROM THE LIV GOLF PAIR

BRYSON WRAPS UP!

Bryson DeChambeau at The Showdown

(Image credit: Getty Images)

CAN TEAM LIV GOLF RECOVER?

EXCELLENT SHOWCASE FOR MEN'S GOLF

CRYPTO WIN FOR MCILROY AND SCHEFFLER