Varner birdies last hole to win LIV Golf at Trump National

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Individual Champion Harold Varner III, of RangeGoats GC, celebrates with the trophy on stage after winning LIV Golf DC at Trump National, Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (Photo by LIV Golf via AP)

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Harold Varner III, of RangeGoats GC, hits from a bunker on the seventh hole during the final round of LIV Golf DC at Trump National, Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via AP)

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Individual champion Harold Varner III, of RangeGoats GC, poses for a photo with the individual trophy after the final round of LIV Golf DC at Trump National, Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf via AP)

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Captain Brooks Koepka, of Smash GC, hits from the 14th tee during the second round of LIV Golf DC at Trump National, Saturday, May 27, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (Hunter Martin/LIV Golf via AP)

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LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman looks on during the final round of LIV Golf DC at Trump National, Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via AP)

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Mito Pereira, of Torque GC, plays a shot on the driving range before the final round of LIV Golf DC at Trump National, Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (Photo by LIV Golf via AP)

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Co-captain Henrik Stenson, top, of Majesticks GC, congratulates Harold Varner III, of RangeGoats GC, on the 18th green during the final round of LIV Golf DC at Trump National, Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf via AP)

STERLING, Va. (AP) — Harold Varner III won his first LIV Golf event Sunday when he two-putted from about 35 feet for birdie on the par-5 18th hole at Trump National in LIV Golf-DC.

Varner won by one shot over Branden Grace of South Africa, who moments earlier holed about a 20-foot birdie putt on the tough par-4 second hole, his last of the shotgun start. Grace closed with a 66.

Mito Pereira, the 36-hole leader, shot 71 and finished third.

Varner won for the first time on American soil. He never won on the PGA Tour before signing on with the Saudi-funded league. His previous two professional wins were the Australian PGA Championship and the Saudi International.

“I’m getting better at golf,” he said. “That’s always been my goal. I think big things are coming.”

Varner, who opened the 54-hole event with a 64, started the final round one shot behind Pereira. But the Chilean bogeyed his first two holes.

Varner holed a bunker shot for birdie at the 11th, and he made about a 12-foot birdie putt on the 15th that gave him a two-shot lead. Grace birdied two of his final three holes.

Varner finished at 12-under 204 and made $4 million.

Torque won the team competition.

Brooks Koepka had a 70 and tied for 12th a week after he won the PGA Championship at Oak Hill for his fifth major.

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