UK Recap: Fast-finishing Rippers shrug off loss of Leishman to place second in England event
ROCESTER, England – Adversity can often lead to success and Ripper GC proved that on Sunday by overcoming the loss earlier in the week of Marc Leishman to finish with a flourish at LIV Golf UK.
While captain Cameron Smith birdied three of his last six holes to secure a runner-up spot on the individual leaderboard with a closing 69, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones both returned 4-under 67s as the all-Australian combination roared up the standings into second place.
Their aggregate score of 10-under in the final round was the best of the day by five strokes at JCB Golf & Country Club and earned them a fourth podium finish this season, which includes victories in Adelaide and Singapore.
All in all, a very impressive showing by the Rippers after Leishman withdrew before Saturday's second round due to appendicitis which required surgery. Reserve player Wade Ormsby filled in for Leishman and he shot consecutive rounds of 71 over the weekend.
"We were missing Leish, and having Wade in ... not to say Wade isn't a good player, but I think we could have been really close to getting a 'W' this week," Smith said after posting a 12-under total to claim his third runner-up spot this season. "It was a really good effort by Wade, and he'll be thanked."
Smith has been one of the best players in LIV Golf this year without winning an individual title and he shrugged off a rocky start to the final round by making birdies at the 13th, the 14th and the par-4 18th.
"I feel like I didn't do much wrong the first six or seven holes, and I was a couple over par," said the 30-year-old from Brisbane who emerged as the individual champion in last year's LIV Golf London at Centurion.
"Really just staying in it. It goes to show what you can do from not even being in the tournament to almost winning it. It was good to stick in there, and good to hit some good shots down the stretch with some pressure on."
Herbert ended up in a tie for 20th place at 5-under after shooting a 67 that included an eagle at the par-5 13th, four birdies and two bogeys. Jones also closed with a 67 to wind up one stroke back in joint 24th.
Overall, the Rippers can take a great deal of satisfaction from the way they fought back from a share of ninth place in the team standings heading into the final round.
Smith had fired a 66 in the second round, but he was left feeling frustrated after he squandered a fast start with two bogeys in his last four holes.
"Probably the most disappointing 5-under I think I've ever had," said the three-time LIV Golf winner, who had led the field by two shots in the second round after making his eighth birdie of the day at the 15th. "Was feeling really nice until a couple of loose swings."
The withdrawal of Leishman before the start of Saturday's second round came as a "massive shock" to the Rippers.
"I played with him on Friday," said Smith. "He mentioned something to me early in the morning at breakfast that he might have just had a bit of a belly ache from dinner the night before, and that was kind of the last I heard of it. He played well. He struck it well, putted well, did everything good.
"Then after the round the doctor here told him that he had to go to the hospital, and it was a bit of a shock for everyone because he'd played so well. He's done with surgery now. Looks like he's come out the other side good. I'm pretty sure he'd want to be in Greenbrier competing, and we definitely want him on our team, too."
The next event on the schedule is the August 16-18 LIV Golf Greenbrier and the Rippers currently occupy third place in the season-long team standings.