BEDMINSTER RECAP: RANGEGOATS GC POSITIONED NICELY IN STANDINGS AFTER NEW JERSEY
BEDMINSTER, N.J. – The RangeGoats GC is lurking with only two regular season events to go. And considering the team’s play of late, expect a strong run to secure one of the top four seeds.
The RangeGoats finished fourth on the team leaderboard at LIV Golf Bedminster on Sunday – just one spot from a podium finish – and are in fifth place in the season-long team standings, just three points out of fourth.
That’s important because the top four seeds receive first-round byes at the season-ending Team Championship in Miami. All other teams will be in action on the first day of action.
The RangeGoats, which finished at 8 under for the week, were one of only six teams to finish under par at Bedminster. It’s been a successful run since opening the season with three consecutive eighth-place finishes. The team made it on the podium five consecutive times earlier this season, including a win at LIV Golf Singapore.
Captain Bubba Watson and teammates Talor Gooch, Harold Varner III and Thomas Pieters never went super low but combined for three counting under-par scores on Saturday, a crucial performance to set up a Sunday run.
With more steady play like that in the final two regular season events, chances for a first-round bye in Miami are likely.
Here’s a recap of RangeGoats GC’s performance at LIV Golf Bedminster:
TALOR GOOCH (Even, 15th place)
While it wasn’t exactly the week Gooch was looking for, there’s no need to panic. Cameron Smith of Ripper GC, who won at Bedminster this week, took over the top spot in the individual standings, a position Gooch owned for most of the season thanks to three individual victories.
Smith’s lead over Gooch is 21 points, and Gooch’s lead over third-place Patrick Reed is 29 points, so there is some cushion. Gooch had three counting scores at Bedminster, with his best round a 1-under 70.
HAROLD VARNER III (+1, 19th place)
Varner helped solidify his team’s fourth-place finish at Bedminster with a 2-under 69 on Sunday, the only under par score for his team in the final round. He currently sits at No. 9 in the season-long individual standings, just four shots back of Dustin Johnson.
BUBBA WATSON (+1, 24th place)
The captain has found something in his game in recent events. He has posted better finishes than the previous week in three straight events, and his 24th-place finish at Bedminster was his best since a top-10 showing in Tulsa. Watson opened with back-to-back 2-under 69s on Friday before taking a step back in the final round.
THOMAS PIETERS (+2, 26th place)
Pieters contributed two counting scores to combine for 2 under on the weekend and bounced back from a 38th-place finish at Greenbrier.
STAT REVIEW
Field ranking in parentheses
Fairways Hit
Varner III – 30 (T6)
Gooch – 28 (T16)
Watson – 27 (T22)
Pieters – 23 (T38)
Driving Distance Avg.
Watson – 302.9 (13)
Pieters – 295.4 (27)
Gooch – 295.2 (28)
Varner III – 294.9 (T29)
Greens in Regulation
Watson – 42 (T1)
Gooch – 37 (T13)
Pieters – 36 (T21)
Varner III – 36 (T21)
Total Putts
Varner III – 89 (T18)
Gooch – 90 (T24)
Pieters – 90 (T24)
Watson – 96 (T45)
Total Birdies
Pieters – 9 (T20)
Watson – 9 (T20)
Varner III – 8 (T31)
Gooch – 5 (T45)