South African star Charl Schwartzel pocketed the biggest winner's cheque in golf with a wire-to-wire victory in the USD25 million LIV Golf Invitational London at Centurion Club yesterday.

The 2011 Masters champion added a final day two-over-par 72 to his opening rounds of 65 and 66 to finish with a 54-hole total of seven-under-par 203, one shot ahead of compatriot Hennie Du Plessis who closed with a 70.

Branden Grace completed the Springboks' dominance with a final round 65 to share third place on five-under-par along with American Peter Uihlein, in with a 69.

Schwartzel won a whopping USD4 million for the individual victory, as well as an additional USD750,000 as his share of the team champions' purse. The 37-year-old and Stingers GC team-mates Du Plesses, Grace and Louis Oosthuizen, also from South Africa, cruised to a 14-shot victory over Crushers GC consisting of Uihlein, Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai, Travis Smyth from Australia and England’s Richard Bland. Three of each team’s scores counted towards the team total on the last day, unlike the first two days when two scores went towards the team total.

Schwartzel started the day with a three-shot lead and was in control until a double-bogey six on the 12th reduced his five-shot lead to three, but he was able to hold on to a memorable victory.

“Honestly it’s a relief,” said Schwartzel, whose last victory came in the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour in 2016.

“It was tough finishing. I made a bad mistake on 12 which put me on the back foot. I needed to stay calm. I had this thing in my hands and made it a bit more difficult than it should have been, but I am proud of how I hung in there, it’s a great feeling.

“Hennie played some fantastic golf. At 25 years old he has a bright future. Played real good. I am proud of him, and I am proud of my team mates. This is a historical moment.”

Tournament drawcard Dustin Johnson of the United States closed with 70 for eighth place on one-under-par.

The next LIV Golf Invitational Series event will take place in Portland, United States, at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club from June 30-July 2.

The Asian Tour’s next stop is the Kolon Korea Open, at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, from June 23-26, an event last played on the Asian Tour in 2019 when Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond was victorious.