With Bryson DeChambeau boost, Nashville sets attendance record for LIV Golf event in United States
Bryson DeChambeau of Crushers GC looks out over the crowd at the fairway at The Grove. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
COLLEGE GROVE, Tenn. — LIV Golf’s Nashville tournament set the attendance record among the league's United States events to date, according to LIV.
More than 40,000 spectators attended the tournament at The Grove over three days, according to LIV communications. That included sellout crowds of 14,454 people on Saturday and Sunday.
LIV Golf's Washington D.C. tournament at Trump National Golf Club in May had owned the high attendance mark. No official figure was released, but estimations had close to 40,000 fans attending.
LIV Nashville was on pace to break the record, a league spokesman said, before Bryson DeChambeau won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. But interest increased with DeChambeau playing in Nashville just days after his dramatic victory over Rory McIlroy. On-site merchandise sales for the first two days alone surpassed any three days of sales for a U.S. event, per LIV.
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DeChambeau finished tied for third at 12 under. He drew massive galleries and regularly interacted with fans all three days.
Tyrrell Hatton captured the tournament title and $4 million payout finishing 19 under for the tournament, six shots ahead of Sam Horsfield. He was mobbed by his Legion XIII teammates Jon Rahm, former Tennessee star Caleb Surratt and Kieran Vincent with champagne. Legion XIII won the team competition with a cumulative 40 under for the tournament to earn $3 million.
DeChambeau fell to his knees after missing a long birdie putt on the par-3 15th, dubbed the "party hole," drawing a disappointed groans from the crowd.
But he was unable to catch Hatton during a birdie fest in the final round. Hatton made eight birdies to pull away. Third-place Joaquin Niemann made 10 birdies.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: With Bryson DeChambeau boost, Nashville sets attendance record for LIV Golf event in United States