Bryson DeChambeau and Talor Gooch share the lead at 7-under at LIV Golf South Korea after the opening 18 on Friday.
DeChambeau was bogey-free on the Jack Nicklaus Golf Membership in Incheon, South Korea, dropping a birdie putt on the ultimate gap to finish the primary spherical atop the leaderboard alongside Gooch, the 2023 particular person champion on the circuit who has been rounding into type of late.
Gooch rode separate streaks of three consecutive birdies over an eight-hole stretch and helped Smash GC seize the staff lead. The Brooks Koepka-led crew posted a cumulative rating of 10 underneath to guide DeChambeau and Crushers GC by one shot.
“Yeah, it was a troublesome begin to the 12 months,” Gooch mentioned. “The sport was fairly rusty. It has been good these previous couple occasions to point out some life and get some good golf going once more. Hopefully this spherical type of kick-starts remainder of the season and we are able to type of channel a few of that 2023 season once more.”
DeChambeau described his spherical as “grueling,” however he wielded a scorching putter to make up for what he felt was shaky iron play.
“I am excited for the weekend,” DeChambeau mentioned after watching his sixty fifth shot of the primary spherical, a 10-foot putt, discover the underside of the cup. “It will be a enjoyable battle.”
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen is tied for third place. He shot 66 on Thursday, and his Stinger GC is fourth in staff scoring behind Rangegoats GC.
Additionally at 6 underneath is England’s Richard Bland. They’re two photographs away from LIV Mexico winner Joaquín Niemann (Torque GC) of Chile, who’s a part of a four-way tie for fifth.
Two gamers carded holes-in-one Friday: South Africa’s Dean Burmester on the 208-yard par-3 thirteenth and Australia’s Marc Leishman on the 172-yard, par-3 fifth gap.
