Carlos Ortiz makes his LIV debut, wins in Houston

Carlos Ortiz earned his first LIV Golf victory on Sunday at LIV Golf Houston by signing a card of -5 (67) to finish at 15 under par, one stroke ahead of Poland’s Adrian Meronk.

The 33-year-old Mexican, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the Vivint Houston Open in 2020, He entered the final round tied for the lead with Meronk, Spain’s David Puig and England’s Paul Casey. at Houston Golf Club.

Ortiz and Meronk remained tied with four holes remaining, but on the par-5 15th, Meronk bogeyed the hole as Ortiz birdied his way to his first victory since February at the Asian Tour’s International Series Oman.

Ortiz, who made six birdies, three of them in a row on holes 6-8, holed a chip for bogey on the 18th and held on for victory.

It wasn’t all loss for Meronk, who made five birdies – including three on consecutive holes 11-13 – and helped Cleeks GC finish at 33 under par for the team’s first title. Fireballs GC and Smash GC finished in a two-stroke tie for second place.

Meronk and Puig (69 on Sunday), who tied with Patrick Reed (68) for third place this weekend at 13 under par, are among 12 LIV Golf players competing in next weekend’s US Open at Pinehurst No. 2. Both Puig and Reed made two bogeys on Sunday.

Sergio Garcia (68)who made a double bogey on the par-4 5th hole and bogeyed the 17th, rounding out the top five at 11 under par.

Indian Anirban Lahiri (68), Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell (69) and Australian Lucas Herbert (69) tied for sixth at 10 under par.

Casey had a tough final round, with just two birdies, in addition to a double bogey on the 12th and a bogey on the 17th that qualified him with a 73 stroke. With a 73, he is tied for ninth at 9 under par, with Brooks Koepka (65), Cameron Tringale (68) and Germany’s Martin Kaymer (70).