Meet high-flying Brendan who showed real ‘Steele’ to win LIV Golf Adelaide

The American pays tribute to mentor and good friend Mickelson following the success Down Under

By KT Golf

Published: Mon 29 Apr 2024, 11:06 PM

Over the weekend the focus of attention at LIV Golf – Adelaide was primarily on the home team win by Rippers GC.

However, let’s focus on the winner of the Individual Event – American Brendan Steele, a member of HyFlyers GC.

Steele shot rounds of 66, 64 and 68, for a 54-hole total of 18 under par to take the title by one shot plus a cheque for $4 million.

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After the win, Steele gave credit to his good friend Mickelson, who made history when he became the oldest major championship winner in history at the age of 50 years, 11 months when he won the 2021 PGA Championship.

“He was like, how are you feeling? What are you thinking? I said, well if I can play freely like I did the last couple of days, I feel like I’ll have a good chance,” said Steele. “He’s like, that’s great. Let’s reframe it. Let’s make it when I play freely. I can play freely. I will play freely. Let’s reframe it into that.

“Then I was saying, I think it’ll be good enough. He’s like, no. It will be good enough, you will play freely.”

Mickelson was on the 18th green to congratulate Steele on his victory.

“He’s the reason I am here and the reason I am improving,” added Steele.

The 41-year-old California native turned professional in 2005, and then played on the Golden State Tour, winning four times before progressing to the Canadian Tour. He then headed to the Nationwide Tour, where he won the 2008 Nationwide Tour Championship and gained his card on the PGA Tour.

Steele’s first PGA Tour victory came in 2011 at the Valero Texas Open – the week after The Masters.

His second win came in the 2016 Safeway Open which he successfully defended in 2017.

A three-time winner on the PGA Tour Steele joined LIV Golf in February 2023 as a member of HyFlyers GC Team captained by Phil Mickelson and in 2023 he lost in a playoff at LIV Golf Tucson with Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) and Carlos Ortiz (Mex) when Danny Lee (NZ) took the title.

Steele is currently ranked 13th in the LIV Golf Individual 2024 Standings after six events. His previous best finish this year was tied 18th at LIV Golf Miami.

He achieved his highest OWGR Ranking of 35 in February 2018 and his best Major result is tied ninth in the 2022 US PGA Championship.

The LIV Tour remains in the Asia region this week for the May 3rd – 5th Singapore event at the Sentosa Golf Club. Then there’s a month-long break before resuming in Houston from June 7th – 9th.