Brendan Steele wins LIV Golf Adelaide tournament from fast-finishing Louis Oosthuizen

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Three-time PGA Tour winner Brendan Steele held off a fast finishing Louis Oosthuizen to win the LIV Golf Adelaide tournament at The Grange Golf Club by one stoke.

The 41-year-old Steele shot a final round 68 Sunday for a 54-hole total of 18-under 198 to earn his first victory since he won his second Safeway Open in 2017 on the PGA Tour.

Steele had a streak of five consecutive birdies early in the round, before some putting jitters appeared in his back nine to open the door for a fast finishing pack of challenges including Oosthuizen, and former previous Masters winners Charl Schwartzel (64) and Jon Rahm (64).

“Yeah, I was telling myself that I knew there was going to be hard moments today regardless of the result and that I just needed to get back in there and start playing with freedom again,” Steele said moments after winning.

“And, and I was able to hit some good shots after that and write the show.”

South Africa's Oosthuizen shot 65 to finish second at 17-under 199, and had drawn within one stroke of Steele late in Sunday's final round, only for the American to make some clutch pars in the final holes to clinch victory.

Oosthuizen's compatriot Schwartzel and Rahm were among a group of five players at 16-under 200, with Joaquin Niemann (66), Andy Ogletree (65) and Dean Burgmester (67) in a tie for third.

Former world No.1 Rahm had an eagle and six birdies in his 8-under 64 but had left too much ground to catch up on Steele on the final day to capture his first title since joining the LlV tour in December.

Last year’s winner Talor Gooch shot 70 and finshed in a tie for 26th at 10-under.

Some of the LIV Golf's biggest names were also off the pace this week, including Brooks Koepka (nine-under), Dustin Johnson (nine-under), Phil Mickelson (seven-under) and Sergio Garcia (six under).

Australian team Ripper GC, led by local favorite Cameron Smith, with Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Lucas Herbert, won the teams format on the second playoff hole against the South African-based team, Stingers GC, to the delight of another large and boisterous crowd at The Grange course on Sunday.

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

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Brendan Steele of HyFlyers GC hits his shot from the first tee during the final round of LIV Golf Adelaide at the Grange Golf Club on Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Adelaide, Australia. (Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via AP)

Brendan Steele of HyFlyers GC hits his shot from the third tee during the final round of LIV Golf Adelaide at the Grange Golf Club on Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Adelaide, Australia. (Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via AP)

Individual Champion Brendan Steele of HyFlyers GC kisses the trophy after the final round of LIV Golf Adelaide at the Grange Golf Club on Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Adelaide, Australia. (Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via AP)

Individual Champion Brendan Steele of HyFlyers GC poses with the trophy after the final round of LIV Golf Adelaide at the Grange Golf Club on Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Adelaide, Australia. (Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via AP)

Brendan Steele of HyFlyers GC hits his shot during the second round of LIV Golf Adelaide at the Grange Golf Club Saturday, April 27, 2024 in Adelaide, Australia.(John Ferrey/LIV Golf via AP)

Brendan Steele of HyFlyers GC waves to the crowd during the second round of LIV Golf Adelaide at the Grange Golf Club Saturday, April 27, 2024 in Adelaide, Australia.(John Ferrey/LIV Golf via AP)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Robert Gasser allowed just two hits over six shutout innings in his major league debut and the Milwaukee Brewers trounced St. Louis 11-2 on Friday night to hand the Cardinals their sixth consecutive loss.

“It was everything I could have dreamed of, playing in front of that many people in probably the biggest game of my life so far,” Gasser said. “It was awesome.”

Willy Adames hit three doubles with two runs and a pair of RBIs as the Brewers beat the Cardinals for a seventh straight time, continuing a streak that began last year. William Contreras scored three times, Christian Yelich had two runs and Rhys Hoskins, Sal Frelick and Jake Bauers each delivered two RBIs.

Gasser walked none, hit one batter and became just the fifth Brewer ever to throw at least six shutout innings in his debut. The others were Jim Slaton in 1974, Steve Woodard in 1997, Chris Sáenz in 2004 and Brandon Woodruff in 2017.

Milwaukee acquired Gasser, along with outfielder Eury Pérez and pitcher Dinelson Lamet in the 2022 trade that sent star closer Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres.

“I think Gass came with a little chip on his shoulder, like, ‘I should have been here last year in my mind, and they made me wait,’ ” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Maybe that's something that we could think about sometimes. Maybe we need to make some guys wait. Gass is a talked-about guy as a minor leaguer. It's great to see. They get here, they pay their dues, they get here and they've got a little edge to them when they get here.”

The 24-year-old left-hander continued the Cardinals’ scoring woes. St. Louis has scored 129 runs through its first 38 games. The Chicago White Sox are the only MLB team with fewer runs this season.

Nolan Gorman homered for the Cardinals, who totaled just five hits.

“At the end of the day, we’re not putting up enough runs," Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “We’re not stringing together quality at bats. Some guys are trying to do too much. It’s been a struggle.”

Milwaukee has outscored St. Louis 18-3 through the first two matchups of the four-game series. The last-place Cardinals fell eight games behind the NL Central-leading Brewers.

The game started out as a pitchers’ duel between Gasser and St. Louis’ Lance Lynn before the Brewers broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the fourth.

Contreras led off with a double and Yelich singled him to third before both scored on Hoskins’ one-out single. Hoskins was credited with only one RBI on the play, since Yelich scored from second after Lars Nootbaar mishandled the ball in left field.

The Brewers broke the game open by scoring five runs in the fifth and four in the seventh. All the fifth-inning runs came with two outs.

Yelich sparked the fifth-inning rally by laying down a perfect two-out bunt that rolled down the third-base line and hit the bag without going foul, enabling Frelick to score from third. Yelich said he started thinking about bunting as soon as the Cardinals brought in Matthew Liberatore to face him.

“I wasn’t really dead-set on doing it,” Yelich said. “It just felt like it could potentially be a good spot for it.”

TRAINERS' ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Keynan Middleton (forearm flexor strain) had a bullpen session Friday and will have a rehabilitation appearance Tuesday. LHP Steven Matz (lower back strain) played catch off the mound Friday and will have a bullpen session Monday.

Brewers: Manager Pat Murphy said RHP Devin Williams is less than two weeks away from playing catch. The two-time NL reliever of the year is expected to miss the first half of the season as he recovers from fractures in his back. LHP DL Hall (knee) will throw live batting practice Tuesday.

UP NEXT

RHP Kyle Gibson (2-2, 3.68 ERA) starts for the Cardinals and RHP Freddy Peralta (3-1, 3.49) pitches for the Brewers when this four-game series continues Saturday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames douses starter Robert Gasser after a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Friday, May 10, 2024, in Milwaukee. Gasser got a win in his major league debut as the Brewers won 11-2. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Sal Frelick hits a two-run scoring single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Friday, May 10, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames hits a double during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Friday, May 10, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich scores past St. Louis Cardinals catcher Iván Herrera during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Milwaukee. Yelich scored on a hit by Rhys Hoskins. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

St. Louis Cardinals' Iván Herrera scores past Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames hits a two-run scoring hit during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Friday, May 10, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich watches his RBI bunt for a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Friday, May 10, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers reacts after hitting a two-run scoring triple during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Friday, May 10, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames reacts after hitting a two-run scoring hit during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Friday, May 10, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers starter Robert Gasser throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Friday, May 10, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)