LIV Golf’s First Dynasty: 4 Aces GC Three-peats With Boston Win

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Dustin Johnson Wins 2022 LIV Golf Invitational-Boston
Talor Gooch, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Pat Perez of 4 Aces pose for a photo after winning the LIV Golf Invitational team title at the International Golf Club on Sept 04, 2022 in Bolton, Mass. (Photo by Montana Pritchard for LIV Golf via Getty Images)

BOLTON, MA – Regardless what the (un)Official World Golf Rankings say, LIV Golf-Boston champion Dustin Johnson is still easily one of the top four or five best players in the world. His last five starts are: 8th (LIV-London), T3 (LIV-Portland), T6 (The Open), T2 (LIV-Bedminster), 1st (LIV-Boston).

Additionally, and maybe more importantly in a historical sense, he’s led the all-American team of 4 Aces GC to victory in three straight tournaments, all in the USA (Portland, Bedminster and Boston).

The team, captained by Johnson, includes Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez.

4 Aces GC Win 2022 LIV Golf Boston
Team Captain Dustin Johnson of 4 Aces GC celebrates with teammate Patrick Read after winning both the individual and team championship during the LIV Golf Invitational-Boston at The Oaks course at The International on Sep 04, 2022 in Bolton, Mass. (Photo by Charles Laberge for LIV Golf via Getty Images )

The beauty of team golf was witnessed midway to late on Sunday – a day when the scores of three players count (as opposed to two scores in the opening rounds): With Gooch and DJ near the top of the leaderboard, and in the red for the day, the third score appeared like it was going to come from Perez, who’d gotten off to a terrific 4-under start at The International’s Oaks course. But the veteran blew a tire around the turn, and quickly spun out of control, losing all four strokes – and then some – in a six hole stretch (Nos. 9-14) of double bogey-bogey-par-par-bogey-bogey.

With about six holes to play, the 4 Aces GC had fallen behind the Iron Heads GC.

Reed, who’d struggled most of the week, and was level par through 10 holes, said he was told his score would probably count as Perez started to fade, “so try to do something.”

The former Masters champion did just that, and proceed to close 4-under par on his final six holes, effectively winning the team title for the 4 Aces, despite finishing T31 in the individual tournament.

4 Aces GC Win 2022 LIV Golf Boston
Team Captain Dustin Johnson of 4 Aces GC and teammate Patrick Reed celebrate after winning the team championship during Day 3 of the LIV Golf Invitational-Boston at The Oaks course at The International on Sep 04, 2022 in Bolton, Mass. (Photo by Patrick Smith for LIV Golf via Getty Images)

“Well, the juices were definitely flowing,” said Reed, who entered Boston off two straight top-5 finishes. “I think I had five or six left, and they came up to me and said, hey, one, you’re counting, and we’re down two, so try to do something.

“I was able to rally off back-to-back birdies on 4 and 5, and then to go ahead and hit it to three or four feet on 8 to make eagle on the second to last hole is always something that just kind of gets you going.

“I think that’s what’s so impressive about our team is it seems like every week, we seem to close. It’s not just how we start. We get out of the gates fast.”

Perez, who seems happy to be along for the ride, was asked if it was a “dynasty.”

He said, “They are. I’m just holding on by a thread.”

4 Aces GC Win 2022 LIV Golf Boston
Team Captain Dustin Johnson of 4 Aces GC celebrates with teammate Pat Perez after winning both the individual and team championships during Day 3 of the LIV Golf Invitational-Boston at The Oaks course at The International on Sep 04, 2022 in Bolton, Mass. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey for LIV Golf via Getty Images)

Perez may be the highest paid hanger on: in three starts on the LIV Golf tour, Perez, who has finished T29, T31 and T15, has earned $2.795 million, most of that coming by the way of 4 Aces GC’s earnings – $750,000 per player, per win.

In fact, Perez says he’s earned twice as much money in three LIV Golf appearances than he made in 25 starts on the PGA Tour in 2022, officially listed at $1.071 million.

“Three for me,” said Perez, correcting the number of starts he’s made on LIV. “I’ve doubled my earnings on the TOUR in 25 events compared to these three (Portland, Bedminster, Boston).

“But when you got those three horses (Johnson, Gooch, Reed), it’s a lot easier.”

Captain Johnson added, “You’ve got to have the Fluffer.”

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Loving the team play portion. Adds so much to the tournament. Although having Reed DJ and Gooch on same team seems a bit lopsided. If you took the 12 best players on the liv tour and made them the A flight player (or captain), Gooch and Reed would be among the top 12. Having all three on the same team is crazy but probably good for the tour in terms of marketing.
    • Love the 4Aces. All of these teams will be competitive over time as new players are added and moved around. Remember, they have a “draft’ tournament. There will be more than four players on teams in the future, I think. That way no one will have to play every tournament. Paul Casey mentioned something about it a few weeks ago.

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