Richard T. Lee surged to the top of the leaderboard after the opening round of LIV Golf Promotions, leading a strong Asian Tour contingent into Round 2 as the high-stakes battle for LIV Golf cards intensified at Black Diamond Ranch Golf & Country Club in Florida.

The 2024 BNI Indonesian Masters champion carded a flawless, bogey-free six-under-par 64 to take the outright lead – comfortably leading the top 20 and ties in to Round 2 of the elimination-format event.

Lee’s sharp start continues a run of consistency across The International Series in 2025, where he posted a fifth-place finish at International Series Macau presented by Wynn, a top-10 result at International Series India presented by DLF, and top-20 finishes at both the Jakarta International Championships and the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.

On a demanding course that placed a premium on precision, Lee leaned on strong ball-striking and timely putting to separate himself from the field.

“It’s a tough course,” said the Canadian. “You really have to drive it well, and the greens are very undulated. I found a lot of fairways, placed my ball in good positions on the greens, and managed to hole a few putts.”

Sadom Kaewkanjana.

Four of Lee’s birdies came over his closing six holes, a stretch he credited to a confident putter heating up at the right time.

“My putting definitely came together late,” he explained. “I wasn’t hitting it super close all day, but I made some key putts — 10- to 15-footers, and one around 30 feet. Those putts were right in the middle, which felt great.”

While a first-round lead provides momentum, Lee remains mindful of the unique elimination format, with scores resetting ahead of Round 2.

“It’s only the first round,” he said. “Finishing first always feels good, but everything resets tomorrow. The focus is the same, hit fairways, place the ball on the right side of the greens, and let good golf take care of itself.”

Just two shots back, Sadom Kaewkanjana and Suteepat Prateeptienchai from Thailand led the chasing pack, finishing tied second after 66s to underline the depth of talent progressing from the Asian Tour.

Sadom, a former LIV Golf League player, credited a disciplined approach and familiarity with the conditions for his fast start. “I played very solid today,” said Sadom. “I hit 16 greens in regulation and everything felt good overall. The game plan worked well, so I’m just looking to keep that going tomorrow.”

Suteepat Prateeptienchai.

Competing in the United States remains a rare but motivating experience for Sadom, who has spent the majority of his career in Asia. “I’m really excited to be playing in the U.S. because most of my golf has been in Asia,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for me, so I tried to bring good energy out there today.”

Having featured during LIV Golf’s inaugural season in 2022, Sadom is determined to earn his way back onto the League. “LIV Golf is the biggest golf league in the world and has so many great players,” he said. “Playing in 2022 gave me amazing experience competing alongside the best, and that really motivates me to try and get back again.”

Thai players featured prominently on the leaderboard, something Sadom attributed to familiar playing conditions. “The grass and the weather are very similar to Thailand — it’s hot and humid, so we don’t need much adjustment,” he explained.

Looking ahead to Round 2, the focus will be on precision rather than aggression. “I want to hit more fairways,” Sadom added. “Tomorrow the course will be tougher, so that will be very important.”

A host of Asian Tour and International Series players joined Lee, Sadom and Suteepat in advancing to Round 2, reinforcing the Tours’ growing influence on the global stage. Those progressing included Hongtaek Kim (66), Austen Truslow (67), Dominic Foos (67), Sarit Suwannarut (67), Travis Smyth (68), Poom Saksansin (68), Pavit Tangkamolprasert (69) and Tomoyo Ikemura (69).