DORAL, Fla. — Dustin Johnson watched the final putt of his season roll in, pumped his right fist and waited for the party to begin.
Another big celebration. Another big check, too.
Johnson drove the green on the 370-yard, par-4 16th hole to set up an easy birdie that provided a bit of breathing room, Patrick Reed birdied his last hole to put their squad ahead for good, and 4Aces GC captured the season-ending LIV Golf team championship at Trump National Doral Miami on Sunday by one shot over Cameron Smith and Punch GC.
The victory capped a monster earnings year for Johnson, by far the biggest money winner in the first year of the LIV circuit, which is backed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. Including his $18 million for winning the season-long individual title, Johnson finished with $35,637,767 in earnings.
"It's been amazing," Johnson said. "Obviously, the fans (are) what makes it. This week's been incredible. This whole season has gotten better and better, and obviously this finale has been unbelievable."
Johnson (70), Reed (70), Talor Gooch (71) and Pat Perez (70) shot a combined 7-under 281 on the par-72 layout Sunday and split $16 million.
"I feel unbelievable," Perez said.
Reed felt even better, making birdie on his final hole to give Johnson a one-shot lead to work with. Johnson was on the par-4 18th green in two when Reed finished, while Smith — the other player in Johnson's twosome — was needing a miracle that didn't arrive. Reed's birdie gave his team the lead, and two putts from Johnson later, it was over.
Johnson wound up claiming 14% of the $255 million in purses and bonuses won by all players in LIV's inaugural year, not including signing bonuses, which were massive and reported to be around $200 million for Phil Mickelson, and at least $100 million apiece for players including Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.
Smith (65), Matt Jones (70), Wade Ormsby (73) and Marc Leishman (74) finished at 6 under, splitting $8 million.
"I think LIV Golf is going to be bigger and better because of this event," Smith said.
Smash GC — Koepka (74), Peter Uihlein (75), Jason Kokrak (68) and Chase Koepka (75) — ended 4 over and split $6 million. Stinger GC, the team of Louis Oosthuizen (71), Charl Schwartzel (71), Hennie du Plessis (76) and Branden Grace (80), finished at 10 over and split $4 million.
The payouts next year, when LIV grows from eight to 14 events, will reach $405 million. And if more players join LIV in the coming months, there will be more signing bonuses, too.
Power pulls it off
SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda — Seamus Power did enough right and left all the mistakes to rookie Ben Griffin in the final round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, winning the event for his second victory on the PGA Tour.
Power took the lead for good with a 25-foot birdie putt at the 14th hole. A bogey to close gave the 35-year-old Irishman a 1-under 70 and a one-shot victory over Belgium's Thomas Detry, who earlier had holed a bunker shot on the 18th for a birdie and a 67.
But it was Griffin who had the best chance. Just more than a year after he was working as a loan officer, he had a shot at winning on tour and going to the Masters. He started the back nine at Port Royal with back-to-back birdies, putting him at 5 under for the day and with a two-shot lead over Power.
And then it all fell apart as Griffin bogeyed four straight holes, followed by a double bogey on the par-3 16th that effectively ended his chances. The turning point was at the 14th, where Power holed his birdie putt for a two-shot swing and his first lead of the day.
"This course was always going to be a tale of two sides," Power said. "I knew it was going to be hard coming in, and it was. I'm delighted to get it done."
Power won last year at the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky, held the same week as the British Open. This victory moves him to No. 32 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He came to Bermuda at No. 48, the highest-ranked player in the field.
Griffin (72) tied for third with Patrick Rodgers (65) and Kevin Yu (67).
Four dominant days
VILAMOURA, Portugal — Jordan Smith at least shared the lead after every round at the Portugal Masters to secure his second DP World Tour victory but first in more than five years.
Smith closed with an 8-under 63 to finish the 72-hole event at 30-under 254. The 29-year-old Englishman was three shots ahead of Gavin Green, who was trying to give Malaysia its first win on the European series but fell short with a 64. Finland's Tapio Pulkkanen also had a 64 and was third, five shots behind Green.
Smith's winning total was one better than the European circuit's record set by Ernie Els at the 2003 Johnnie Walker Classic, but due to preferred lies at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course for this edition of the Portugal Masters, Smith's feat will not go into the books as the record.