As far as build-ups to a major tournament go, the days leading up to the 2022 US Open were pretty unique. Brooks Koepka accused the media of bringing a black cloud over Brookline with constant questions regarding the LIV Golf Series, but the reality was that the third major of the year was almost a sideshow.
Maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but the point remains. Both before and after the inaugural Saudi Arabia-backed tournament at the Centurion Golf Club in England, reporters and fans alike were more interested in hearing opinions about the current split in world golf over how players felt that they may play at a golf course which had not being used in professional tournament conditions since the 2013 US Amateur Championship.
Nine years ago, it was a young Matt Fitzpatrick who prevailed at that event, and the Englishman followed suit on Sunday to earn his first major and maiden tournament success in the United States as a professional.
Fitzpatrick deserves to dominate the headlines for the days to come, his sublime bunker shot on the 18th now a part of the tournament's prestigious history, but there will also be a time when a debrief will take place over how the LIV Golf representatives played in Boston.
Here, Sports Mole brings you the details behind how the 13 confirmed players fared at the oldest country club in the USA.
© Reuters
The first thing to note is that less than a quarter of the first 48-player LIV Golf field participated at the US Open. Two of those 13 players only officially signed up while the event was taking place.
Charl Schwartzel - the winner of the $4m first prize in Hertfordshire - was one of 37 players not present, and it was former world number one Dustin Johnson who was the best performer with a finish of 24th position.
After an opening round of 68, Johnson was very much in contention, but returns of 73, 71 and 72 respectively saw him finish 10 shots behind champion Fitzpatrick.
English veteran Richard Bland will be satisfied with a 43th-placed finish, although that is something which cannot be said for the likes of Patrick Reed and Bryson Dechambeau.
The American duo will play their first LIV Golf event in Portland at the end of the month, and they will do so having achieved 49th and 56th spot respectively.
© Reuters
As for the remaining nine players, they all missed the cut. Only two of those - Sergio Garcia and James Piot - lost out by a shot, and it highlights how many found themselves off the pace after playing in England five days before one of the standout competitions on the calendar.
Talor Gooch, Kevin Na and Branden Grace were all a shot further down the leaderboard at five-over-par through 36 holes, with Sam Horsfield and Louis Oosthuizen finishing on six-over.
South Africa's Shaun Norris was even further down the standings with a second-round 78 leaving him on eight-over-par, with one of the faces of LIV Golf in Phil Mickelson the worst performing representative by some margin.
The legendary left-hander has attracted the most media attention with regards to the LIV Golf Series, comments earlier this year leading to a break being taken from the PGA Tour.
Mickelson under-performed in England last week and that form continued on Thursday and Friday, the six-time major winner missing the cut by eight shots after rounds of 78 and 73.
