Path. 3News & Notes: Ortiz’s Future Plans Post-Win

HUMBLE, Texas – Carlos Ortiz won the individual title and Cleeks GC took home the team trophy at LIV Golf Houston, but there was plenty more news, notes and stats from the final round at The Golf Club of Houston.

RELATED: ORTIZ AND CLEEKS GC OF TORQUE WIN FIRST GOLF LIV TITLES

ORTIZ’S FUTURE PLANS: LIV Golf Houston winner Carlos Ortiz will be unable to return to his winning form at next week’s US Open as he missed the cut in the final qualifier held two weeks ago in Dallas. But he potentially has a big summer of events.

“I played really well,” Ortiz said. “It’s a shame to have doubled the last hole to miss the qualification. It hurt a lot. But I think that with time we will get back to the major tournaments because I know that I am one of the best players in the world right now and I deserve to be there.

Ortiz hopes to qualify for the Open Championship and is on track to qualify for the Paris Olympics, representing his native Mexico.

CHANGE OF OBJECTIVES FOR CLEEKS: With a tie for second place in Singapore and now a win in Houston, Cleeks GC has moved up to seventh in the points standings and is within 30 points of third place, which is the final seed to get a bye in the first round. Team Championship in Dallas in September.

With five tournaments remaining in the regular season, captain Martin Kaymer said the team’s goals would now be adjusted.

“The focus changed all of a sudden,” Kaymer said. “I would say if you had asked me three or four weeks ago if top 5 was realistic for Dallas, I would have said, yes, it’s still realistic, but it’s going to be a very, very difficult road for get there. In Singapore we did well (tied 2nd This week we did well. Now the goal has changed: try to reach the top three places, because it doesn’t matter whether you finished fourth or not). 13th. The top 3 is therefore the new objective.

“Now is the time for us to keep pushing.” We have to keep working hard because we only have two and a half months left in the year for LIV events, so we have to keep working. We need to make a good effort to give ourselves a good chance of finishing in the top 3.”

REED LINKS FOR THE THIRD: Houston-area resident Patrick Reed produced his best result of the LIV Golf season, shooting a final round of 68 to tie for third with David Puig at 13 under. Reed’s best finish this season was a tie for ninth at Miami.

The 4Aces GC star opened with a bogey on Sunday but closed in style with birdies on three of his final five holes.

12 HEADING TO THE US Open: LIV Golf players scheduled to compete in the US Open include Dean Burmester, Eugenio Chacarra, Bryson DeChambeau, Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka, Adrian Meronk, Phil Mickelson, David Puig, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith.

Meronk had the best result in Houston, finishing second solo, while Puig tied for third.

Rahm, who withdrew after six holes on Saturday because of a foot infection, remained in Houston on Sunday to support his team and will travel to Pinehurst on Monday.

WITH THE WINNERS: By winning the individual title, Carlos Ortiz climbs to 11th place in the season rankings. His teammate Joaquin Niemann remains the leader of the standings. The Cleeks sit in seventh place in the team standings, with the Crushers GC remaining in the lead.

RESERVES PLAY WELL: Three reserve players were in action for the final round in Houston, and each performed well for their respective team.

Ben Campbell, replacing Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm, shot a 5-under 67 for his team’s lowest score.

Wade Ormsby, replacing Stinger GC captain Louis Oosthuizen, followed his second-round 73 with a 1-under 71.

John Catlin, filling in all week for Crushers GC veteran Charles Howell III, also shot a 71 in the final round to finish at 1 under for the tournament and tied for 24th place.

STATISTICS LEADERS OF THE 3rd ROUND

Driving precision: Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka, Henrik Stenson, Richard Bland, Abraham Ancer, 85.71% (12 out of 14 fairways hit)

Driving distance: Joaquin Niemann, 340.0 yards average.

Longest drive: Mito Pereira, 361.5 yards, 13th hole

The Greens in regulation: Carlos Ortiz, Brooks Koepka, 94.44% (17 of 18 greens)

Jamming: Talor Gooch (5 of 5), Graeme McDowell (4 of 4), Mito Pereira (3 of 3), Brooks Koepka (1 of 1), 100%

Putting: Talor Gooch, Ben Campbell, 1.39 putts per hole

Bogey-free rounds: Talor Gooch (66), Graeme McDowell (69)