Sergio scorches the field in Hong Kong to win second LIV event; Phil Mickelson records best LIV finish

Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey high on the leaderboard. A course measuring 6,711 yards. Golf fans could be forgiven for thinking this was 2008 or 2010—the glory days for this now aging trio. But the blaring music and Garcia’s bright red Fireballs GC team uniform screamed that this was 2025 and it was LIV Golf Hong Kong.

Nevertheless, Garcia was vintage as he dissected the Hong Kong Golf Club, thumping stingers from many of the tees with his trusty driving iron during a three-shot victory Sunday. It was the 45-year-old Spaniard’s second title on the league after capturing a maiden win at his beloved Valderrama last year in his homeland.

Hong Kong Golf Club, a 136-year-old course, was always going to reward a plodder and a ball-striker as prolific as Garcia. With its narrow, tree-lined layout and relatively modest total yardage, it played 755 yards shorter than this week’s PGA Tour host Bay Hill.

Garica wound back the clock with a stunning seven-under 63 on the third and final day of LIV Golf Hong Kong, the third event of LIV’s 2025 season. An eagle at the par-5 third jumpstarted Garcia’s final round charge but it was four consecutive birdies from the eighth hole that allowed the 45-year-old to grab the tournament by the scruff of the neck.

The 2017 Masters champion then put the tournament to bed at the tricky, par-4 16th when he struck a beautiful wedge from the fairway to 15 feet and drained the birdie. A hole later, Garcia two-putted the 18th to finish at 18-under-par total for the week. He captured the $4 million individual title, while helping his Fireballs franchise to a win in the teams component.

“Yeah, it was great,” Garcia said. “I knew I had to play well. My goal starting the day was to shoot five under, which was going to help me and the team. I didn't hit the best tee shot on 18 [and was blocked on the right by trees], but I knew that [as a team the Fireballs] were tied or one ahead, so I wasn't going to lay up. I hit a beautiful 4-iron and then a great [two-] putt.”

South African Dean Burmester was runner up to Garcia at 15 under, while Mickelson found form in Hong Kong to finish outright third at 14 under. Dustin Johnson finished last in the field, in 54th place, at one over par for the week. In the teams competition, the Fireballs earned a one-shot win over Stinger GC while Cam Smith’s Ripper GC and Mickelson’s HyFlyers shared third.

Mickelson, who shot three rounds in the 60s at a tight driving course, said he was playing “a different style” that was inspiring confidence with the Masters only a little more than 30 days away.

“I had a great off-season; I figured some things out and I'm playing a different style of golf,” said Mickelson, 54, in recording his best career finish in a LIV event. “I'm hitting a lot of good shots. This is a building week as I continue to [chase] my goal of a win on LIV as well as winning another major and getting ready for Augusta.”

Garcia was also asked about the Masters, which will be his 100th career major championship start. But he avoided suggestions this LIV win was any indication he could make another run at Augusta National. Instead, Garcia said that “whatever happens,” he’ll soak up the milestone having debuted at the majors as an amateur at the 1996 Open Championship.

“Yeah, I’m super excited about it; it's a milestone not a lot of people get to achieve,” Garcia said. “I'm super proud, super happy, and I can't wait to go [to Augusta] and just enjoy it. Whatever happens, happens. I’m just going to try to enjoy the week as much as possible. And hopefully my game will show up.”

One thing Garcia could be drawn into was stating his case for a captain’s pick from Luke Donald for the European team at this year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage. While a longshot, particularly given LIV doesn’t offer Ryder Cup European points or Official World Golf Ranking points, Garcia is the all-time leading points scorer four Europe and wouldn’t be the most controversial captain’s pick in the history of the event.

“We've been in touch,” Garcia said of Donald. “I know that he's keeping an eye [on me]. And the only thing I can do is just keep playing good golf. I just want to help the European team like I try to do every single time I’m part of [or a] member of that team. Hopefully he will think I'm good enough for it.”