The 5th hole of the Serapong with the 4th hole green in the foreground
Sentosa’s famed Serapong layout is the iconic setting as the world’s best gather to test themselves against each other and Asia’s finest golf course at LIV Golf Singapore.
As Sentosa Golf Club celebrates its 50th anniversary, the LIV Golf League returns to Singapore for a second straight year as the likes of current standings leader Joaquin Niemann from Chile, Jon Rahm of Spain, and South African Dean Burmester, the winner of LIV Golf Miami earlier this month, join a star-studded field.
The Singapore event marks the start of the second half of the LIV Golf League season which again has seen drama of the highest order and offers players a key chance for a tune-up ahead of the US PGA Championship at Valhalla, Kentucky, from May 15-19, when Smash GC captain Brooks Koepka defends his title.
This world-class event follows LIV Golf Adelaide, which saw Brendan Steele of HyFlyers GC walk away as individual champion, and the all-Australian Ripper GC beat Stinger GC in a playoff to win the team competition at the Grange Golf Club.
Currently ranked as one of the World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, The Serapong will welcome 54 of the world’s best players including Major Champions Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, last year’s runner-up Sergio Garcia and Louis Oosthuizen to compete across its mystical layout with Singapore’s skyline forming the stunning backdrop to the course by the South China Sea.
Last year’s LIV Golf Singapore champion and overall individual champion Talor Gooch in his Smash GC team merchandise
Defending LIV Golf Singapore champion and Smash GC player Talor Gooch is thrilled at the prospect of returning to Sentosa, a year after he crowned an inspired eight-day run which saw him first record victory at LIV Golf Adelaide, before going back-to-back by edging out Spanish legend Garcia in a playoff to claim the honours on The Serapong.
Gooch, who triumphed as a RangeGoats GC player in 2023 but now plays for Smash GC, said he was looking forward to playing The Serapong again and the quality of the greens were firmly planted in his memory.
“It’s just a fantastic golf course,” said the 32-year-old American. “There’s no faking it. You’ve got to play good golf, but if you play good golf, it’ll get rewarded, and the greens are some of the best surfaces that I’ve ever putt on in my life.
“They’re just unbelievable. And I’d heard about how spectacular the greens were prior to the event. And you know, rarely do those expectations live up to the hype. It blew me away how great the greens were.”
Gooch said the switch to the Smash GC team had helped elevate his focus on the game and being in such esteemed company was something he had targeted.
“Being in the room with those guys is the reason I made the move. I wanted to be around Brooks on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis and have him push me to become a better golfer. And the same thing with G Mac (Graeme McDowell) and Jason Kokrak. They’re great golfers.”
2020 US Open champion and Crushers GC captain Bryson DeChambeau was equally pumped for a return visit to The Serapong, and the chance to test himself once again after an impressive T-6 finish at the recent US Masters at Augusta.
The Crushers GC captain said: “The fans out there were awesome, they showed up in waves, they have great people out there, we loved it. The golf course is exciting, it’s a good test of golf, the greens were in immaculate shape so I’m looking forward to it. Pristine conditions, great fans, and a good atmosphere.”
He said the format suited his Crushers GC team and looked forward to adding to their successful season: “The four score formats work really well for us because we are a consistent team. We seem to do well over the four rounds. Having four guys who can score anywhere and everywhere is impressive.”
The Serapong was named the World’s Best Golf Course at the 2023 World Golf Awards, and its snaking layout, stunning conditions and spectacular backdrops mark it out as one where all the world’s leading professionals want to add a win in their career.
