Team Vitality tops FaZe Clan in grand final at StarLadder Budapest Major

Team Vitality defeated FaZe Clan on Sunday to win the grand final and claim the $500,000 first prize at the StarLadder Budapest Major in Hungary.

FaZe Clan won the opening match of the best-of-five grand final over Team Vitality but dropped the next three in a row and had to settle for the $170,000 runner-up prize at the three-week tournament.

Thirty-two teams began play in the $1.25 million Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event, which featured three consecutive Swiss System stages ahead of the playoffs.

Sixteen teams competed in each Swiss System stage. Eight invited teams started in Stage 2, and eight more got a bye into Stage 3. In each Swiss System stage, elimination and advancement matches were best-of-three and all others were best-of-one.

The tournament concluded with a single-elimination playoff stage. All matches were best-of-three until Sunday's grand final, which was best-of-five.

On Sunday, FaZe Clan secured a 13-6 victory on Nuke before Team Vitality bounced back with a 13-3 win on Dust II, notched a 13-9 win on Inferno and finished the grand final with a commanding 13-2 win on Overpass. Robin "ropz" Kool from Estonia led the way with 60 kills, while teammate William "mezii" Merriman of Great Britain had a plus-21 kills-deaths differential for Team Vitality.

StarLadder Budapest Major standings (final placement, total winnings)

1. Team Vitality -- $500,000

2. FaZe Clan -- $170,000

3-4. Team Spirit, Natus Vincere -- $80,000

5-8. Team Falcons, The MongolZ, MOUZ, FURIA -- $45,000

9-11. B8, G2 Esports, Passion UA -- $20,000

12-14. Imperial Esports, 3DMAX, paiN Gaming -- $20,000

15-16. Team Liquid, PARIVISION -- $20,000

17-19. Ninjas in Pyjamas, M80, Astralis -- $10,000

20-22. Fnatic, Aurora Gaming, TYLOO -- $10,000

23-24. MIBR, FlyQuest -- $10,000

25-27. Legacy, Fluxo, NRG -- No money

28-30. RED Canids, The Huns Esports, GamerLegion -- No money

31-32. Lynn Vision Gaming, Rare Atom -- No money

--Field Level Media