LIV Golf Team Championship final scores: Jon Rahm leads Legion XIII to victory

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton led Legion XIII to victory in the LIV Golf team championship after a thrilling playoff against Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers GC in Michigan.

The final day of the LIV Golf season went to the wire as Rahm and DeChambeau produced outstanding finishes to their rounds at The Cardinal at Saint John's to force extra holes.

With Louis Oosthuizen's Stinger GC out of contention in the three team championship bracket, Crushers GC and Legion XIII finished tied at the top with combined team scores of 20 under par in the strokeplay format.

DeChambeau capped his eight-under 62 with birdies at 17 and 18 which were matched by Rahm (65) with their team-mates watching from the sidelines having already completed their rounds.

Hatton fired a 66 and Tom McKibbin a 65, while the unheralded Caleb Surratt led the way with a 64 in a consistent showing from the Legion XIII quartet.

DeChambeau's 62 was, by far, the best score for the Crushers, with Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri adding a pair of 65s while Charles Howell III was five under after seven holes only to stutter to a 68.

Rahm and DeChambeau both clipped their approaches to a few inches on the final hole of regulation play, both tapping in for birdie to take the tournament into a four-man, sudden-death playoff.

Despite Surratt's fine form, Rahm chose to take Tyrrell Hatton with him back to the 18th tee, with DeChambeau opting for Casey.

Rahm's decision to partner Hatton paid off as the Englishman traded birdies with DeChambeau on the first extra hole, but the Crushers pair ran into trouble at the second time of asking.

Hatton knocked a near-perfect wedge to tap-in range and Rahm hit his inside six feet, while Casey left himself a long-range birdie putt and DeChambeau missed the green.

And, with Hatton guaranteed a birdie, DeChambeau and Casey both missed the target as Legion XIII were confirmed as Team champions, securing a double-celebration for Rahm after the Spaniard claimed the individual title last week.

Rahm paid tribute to Surratt and McKibbin after lifting the trophy, explaining that his and Hatton's stronger wedge play was the deciding factor in his playoff selection.

"Neither Tyrrell or I were having a great day today, and even during the whole week, I don't think we played our best," Rahm said. 

"But the young guys kind of were a beacon of strength playing good and out there today as well. They carried us all the way to the end.

"Tyrrell and I got it going a little late, but better late than never. When it came to the playoff, I felt fairly confident we're both really good wedge players, and if we just put it in the fairway, I was fairly confident we were going to give ourselves a lot of chances.

"To just get it done like that, knowing I hit it close enough and not really have to stress about it, it's a wonderful feeling. It's been a long year, and I'm happy I finally won a playoff, and I couldn't be prouder of all of them, they played unbelievable."

Rahm's win was a marker for a possible showdown with DeChambeau at next month's Ryder Cup, but he was highly-impressed with the big-hitting American throughout the round.

"He played incredible golf, he played unbelievable'" Rahm added.

"His driver was on an absolute roll, and he had the putter going. I just tried to stay together with it as much as I could. 

"I tried to remind myself that every three holes there was 12 scoring opportunities for each group or each team.

"I just kept reminding myself that even two, three holes was enough and just glad that I was able to match him with those birdies at the end."