Cameron Smith finishes fourth on LIV Golf debut, pockets $1.5 million
In his LIV Golf debut, Cameron Smith has finished fourth and won a cool $1.5 million.
For perspective, the last PGA Tour event before the FedEx cup playoffs - the Wyndham Championship - paid $1.9 million to win, and the three-way tie for fourth paid just under $400,000.
Smith was tied for the lead until he hit his tee shot into the trees on the first hole - his 17th in the shotgun start format - and had to pitch out sideways and made bogey.
LIVE UPDATES: US Open 2022 day seven highlights
READ MORE: 'Heads may roll' at Newcastle as disastrous record equalled
READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton's furious tirade after race-losing call
Smith tied for fourth with Lee Westwood.
Winner Dustin Johnson gave LIV Golf its first big moment when he made a 35-foot eagle putt on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the event in Boston - his first victory in 19 months.
Cameron Smith hits his tee shot on the 16th hole. Getty
Johnson's putt on the par-5 18th was going so fast it might have rolled some 6 feet past the hole. But it hit the back of the cup and dropped to beat Joaquin Niemann and Anirban Lahiri.
He raised his arm and dropped it for a slow-motion uppercut, instead slapping hands with Austin Johnson - his brother and caddie.
The win was worth $5.9 million for Johnson. With his team winning again, he now has made nearly $15 million in four events.
The first playoff in four LIV Golf events capped an otherwise sloppy finish by so many others who had a chance.
Johnson, who closed with a 5-under 65, needed a birdie on the par-5 18th. His drive bounced into the right rough, his iron to lay up went into the trees well to the left and he had to scramble for par to join Lahiri (64) and Niemann (66) at 15-under.
Dustin Johnson, Anirban Lahiri, Joaquin Niemann were the top three. Getty
Lahiri hit a fairway metal to five feet on the 18th in regulation, and his eagle putt that would have won it rolled around the right edge of the cup.
Lee Westwood finished one shot out of a playoff after a 62 that included bogeys on two of his last three holes.
Johnson had not won since the Saudi International on Feb. 7, 2021, when it was part of the European tour.
The highest-profile stars who have signed with LIV Golf: Leaked photo confirms Aussie's backflip
