Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz, winner of this year’s International Series Oman on the Asian Tour and current leader of The International Series Rankings, has claimed his maiden individual title on the LIV Golf League after winning LIV Golf Houston at the weekend.

Torque GC’s Ortiz, who has celebrated four team victories but never an individual LIV Golf victory, shot a final-round five-under 67 to finish at 15-under, one stroke ahead of the Cleeks’ Adrian Meronk from Poland.

Spain’s David Puig, winner of this year’s Malaysian Open who is currently second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, finished in fourth place, two behind the winner. He closed with a 69, having started the final round sharing the lead.

For Ortiz, it’s his second win in Houston, as he won the Houston Open on a different course in 2020.

Carlos Ortiz. Picture by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

“I love playing here,” Ortiz said. “Obviously Texas treats me well. It’s my adopted home state. I’m just happy to get it done again in Houston.”

After gaining separation from the rest of the pack, Ortiz and Meronk found themselves in a duel for most of the back nine. Tied going into the par-four 15th, Ortiz birdied the hole while Meronk bogeyed it after finding trouble off the tee and having to take a penalty drop.

Ortiz bogeyed the 18th hole after missing his only green of the day, but Meronk’s birdie attempt slipped past the cup.

“He played unbelievable, and he put pressure all the way to the end,” Ortiz said of Meronk. “It was a good battle.”

“He played really great,” Meronk said of Ortiz. “He really deserved it. I hope I can get him next time.”

Cleeks GC – consisting of Meronk, Martin Kaymer from Germany, England’s Richard Bland, and Kalle Samooja from Finland –  took the team title by two from Smash GC.

They started the final round five shots off the lead. But during the final nine holes, the team collectively caught fire. Kaymer birdied five of six holes. Samooja birdied three of five holes. Meronk birdied three consecutive holes. Bland birdied two straight.