Eagle-eyed Taehee leads after 65 with Baisoya and Lee
Korean Taehee Lee made two dazzling eagles in his last five holes to shoot a seven-under-par 65 and take a share of the clubhouse lead today at the inaugural International Series Vietnam.
India’s Honey Baisoya and Lee Chieh-po from Chinese-Taipei matched his fine effort, to set the pace early on day one after the morning session with half the field still on course – in what is the Asian Tour’s first event in Vietnam for seven years.
Filipino Miguel Tabuena, still in fine form after an outstanding start to the season highlighted by victory in The DGC Open presented by Mastercard last month, carded a 66, along with Jaco Ahlers from South Africa.
The US$2 million event is being played on a Greg Norman-designed links-style layout at KN Golf Links, in Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa Province, in the south-central coast region of Vietnam.
Honey Baisoya is making a habit of shooting low rounds this year . Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Taehee Lee is the only one of the frontrunners to have won before on the Asian Tour, having claimed the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in 2019 on home soil.
But any chance of contending this week appeared highly likely for the Korean at the start of the week.
He said: “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, wind was strong, I played bad, very bad, but today the wind is nothing. Course was easy today, many players low score.”
Two birdies on the front nine and another birdie on 10 laid the foundation for what was to come as he eagled the par-five 14th, dropped his only shot of the day on 16, before another eagle followed on the par-five 17th. He then signed off in the perfect manner with a birdie on the last.
“I didn’t make any mistakes, there was no wind, so the course played easy,” he added.
Baisoya’s round will come as no surprise to many as the Indian has shot some stunning low rounds so far this season. A 62 at the International Series Thailand and a 65 at The DGC Open put him in the running in both events, although he was unable to keep that going. He tied for 34th in Thailand and equal sixth at The DGC Open.
“It was a very good round,” said Baisoya, who impressively made nine birdies, including four in a row from the sixth, but recorded two bogeys.
Lee Chieh-po had the distinction of going bogey free today. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I hit my ball well off the tee, my approach shots were good, and I made many putts but then I missed a lot of putts so it could have been better, but I’ll take it.”
The Indian sensationally holed out from a greenside bunker on 18 for a birdie three.
Lee Chieh-po had the distinction of going bogey free, with five of his birdies coming on the back nine.
“The course is very similar to my home course in Taiwan, the design, the green speed. I am feeling great, very comfortable,” said the Chinese-Taipei golfer, who finished second behind Australian Travis Smyth in the Yeangder TPC last year for his best Asian Tour result.
Two of Thailand’s leading golfers Nitithorn Thippong and Phachara Khongwatmai shot 67s and are in a tie for sixth with four other players.
India’s Anirban Lahiri, the Asian Tour number one in 2015 and a seven-time winner on the Tour, carded a 69, while Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, the Tour’s top player in 2013, fired a 71.
Indian golf legend Anirban Lahiri has heaped praise on the Asian Tour and The International Series for the ‘phenomenal job’ they are doing ‘accelerating the growth of golf in Asia.’
The seven-time Asian Tour winner joins his LIV Golf League teammate Paul Casey at KN Golf Links, in Cam Ranh, this week for the International Series Vietnam, in which 156 golfers from 28 nations will compete for the US$2million total prize purse.
It will be the former Olympian’s second International Series event after the 35-year-old teed up, and finished runner-up, in 2022’s season-ending Indonesian Masters – an event Lahiri won in 2014, the year before he claim the Asian Tour Order of Merit title.
Lahiri said: “I think golf has always been a very big sport in Asia – it’s huge for professional golf. It is probably even bigger for tourism in terms of industry. Because of that there is infrastructure and a lot of golfers being produced.
Anirban Lahiri and Jeev Milkha Singh catching up in Vietnam . Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Now with The International Series and LIV Golf coming to Asia, growing the game here has really become one of the main agendas and bringing so many of the best golfers to play in this region is going to have a huge impact. I won’t say ‘change’ but that’s where the boost is going to come from. It’s there, it’s growing, and I think The International Series is doing a phenomenal job of accelerating that.”
With multiple wins in Asia, Lahiri can be considered an authority on golf in the world’s biggest continent, and he added: “If you ask the majority of golfers in Asia, or on this side of the world, they’re going to say, ‘I want to play on LIV’, and now there’s a pathway to get there.
“Even outside of that, you’ve got 10 tournaments [The International Series], which you’re playing for pretty much US$2million every time, which is a really good prize for that many events in Asia. It’s a huge leap.”
Joined by 13 fellow Indians in the International Series Vietnam field this week, Lahiri, who was born in the city of Pune, 150km east of Mumbai, is excited to compete alongside the players he looked up to growing up, his peers as well as up-and-coming stars.
“Jeev [Milka Singh], Jyoti [Randhawa] and S.S.P. [Chawrasia] laid the foundation before I started coming through about 15 years ago. I’m in my mid-thirties but the guys coming through now are in their early twenties, so you have 30 years of age variance among those of us here this week.
Lahiri and his caddie pictured during the Pro-Am ahead of the International Series Vietnam . Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I learned a lot from the likes of Jeev and Arjun [Atwal]. I can see that same transference happening with the roles reversed to some extent and I enjoy that as well.”
Having won in India, Indonesia, Macau and Malaysia, Lahiri has his eyes set on a maiden Vietnam victory this week: “I’ve been playing well in patches and I’m just looking to put four good rounds together and get that win off my chest. It’s been a while coming and I feel like I’m close. That’s definitely the main purpose of being here. I’d love to get that W.”
Paul Casey, the winner of 21 tournaments around the world, is looking to add to his impressive trophy cabinet this week at the International Series Vietnam – being played on the Greg Norman-designed KN Golf Links in Cam Rahn.
The US$2 million event will tee off tomorrow and will be the fourth event on the International Series this season and the eighth stop on the Asian Tour with many players battling it out for the top spot on The International Series Order of Merit and duly winning a place in next year’s flourishing LIV Golf League.
Casey who has never played in Vietnam says his goal this week is to triumph in what is the biggest and most lucrative golf tournament ever staged in the country: “The goal is always, when you get on a plane at any event around the world is, to win. I’ve won I think a couple of times on the Asian Tour but never on The International Series and never won in Vietnam, never played golf in Vietnam, so that’s the goal this week.
“We’ve got some great players in Ogletree and Ormsby playing this week and Anirban is playing this week, I’ve got to keep my head down and try to play some great golf on a great golf course and see what happens.”
L-R- Anirban Lahiri of India, Michael Tran of Vietnam, Paul Casey of England and Wade Ormsby of Australia pictured with the winner’s trophy at a press conference on Wednesday. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The 45 year old has previously won twice on the Asian Tour with both victories coming in China in 2005, at the TCL Classic and the Volvo China Open. Most recently Casey has found success on the LIV Golf League winning the team event with Crushers GC at LIV Golf Mayakoba, where he also finished fourth individually.
Speaking of his LIV Golf experience, he said: “It was my second time on a podium, first team victory so that was quite cool. I guess that is the interesting thing about LIV now, I’m a guy who played college golf, I played with, believe it or not, Pat Perez, Matt Jones and there’s other guys who went to the famous Sun Devils (Arizona State University) – Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm. I’ve sent Jon Rahm a lot of texts this year saying congratulations, I just copy and paste now!”
Casey alluded to the innovative initiative that is The International Series and recognises how important it is to have the newly formed enterprise as part of the Asian Tour.
“I think it is very important now. I’ve played sporadically on the Asian Tour and coming back and playing a couple of them you can feel the vibe, you can actually feel that things have been elevated, there’s a clear pathway now for guys who play well on the Asian Tour,” he said.
“You can feel that there is a different level to everything but yet it’s got the same warm feeling that the Asian Tour has always had, the people are so nice, the staff are amazing. I’m really happy with this, where it’s at and it’s going to get better and better and better and a great reward for the guys that play well, so The International Series is real.”
Casey played the Pro-Am on Wednesday. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The Englishman will tee it off at 11:50am local time alongside the previous winner on The International Series stage, Wade Ormsby who triumphed in Thailand last month, and Taichi Kho who was victorious in latest Asian Tour event, the World City Championship.
Casey has his family here supporting this week, and is looking forward to the all-round experience in Vietnam for both himself and his children: “It’s great fun, it’s nice to bring the kids somewhere around the world and wonderful they get to see Vietnam a little bit, it’s an experience. It’s not just living in your neighbourhood, wherever that happens to be around the world, you’ve got to see the world a little bit and this is something that is very different to what they experience at home.”
The Asian Tour is set to make history by staging an event for the first time in Scotland at the much-acclaimed Fairmont St Andrews on 24-27 August 2023.
The inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship will take place at the venue’s Torrance Course, a 7,320-yard layout set among 520 acres of stunning Scottish coastline with views of St Andrews Bay. Designed by former Ryder Cup and golfing legend Sam Torrance, the course is marked by its deep revetted bunkers, large greens and links design. Less than five miles from the Home of Golf, where there is recorded evidence of golf being played as long ago as 1552, Fairmont St Andrews has previously staged many notable international events including on the DP World Tour, the European Seniors Tour, on six occasions between 2009 and 2014, as well as Open Qualifying.
Fairmont St Andrews owners Caleb Chan and Dr Peter Lam both hail from Hong Kong and their decision to host the event comes off the back of the inspired recent victory of Taichi Kho – who became the first Hong Kong player to win on the Asian Tour in just his third professional start on Tour. His victory in the World City Championship also earned him a berth in his first Major championship, this summer’s Open.
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour, Caleb Chan and Dr Peter Lam pictured on Sunday at the World City Championship in Hong Kong. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Callum Nicoll, Head of Golf and Estates at Fairmont St Andrews, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be staging another world class event at Fairmont St Andrews, and to be making history as the first Scottish host for the distinguished Asian Tour. The Torrance course offers a challenging test for the players this summer, blending the principles of links golf with a more modern style. Contouring the hotel and set against the backdrop of the picturesque east coast of Fife, the Torrance will test the short and long game whilst the risk-reward design provides numerous options both off the tee and for approach shots to the green.
“The elevated nature of The International Series with generous purses, strong international fields, and the reward of a place for the Series winner in next year’s LIV Golf League all makes for a very exciting tournament in the summer.”
Following immediately after the International Series England in an Asian Tour ‘UK summer swing’, the 156-strong field will compete for a minimum of US$1.5m prize purse on the modern links layout in the sixth installment of The International Series 2023 schedule.
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour, said: “There are few greater experiences in golf than playing in Scotland. It is widely known that Scotland’s golf fans are among the most knowledgeable fans anywhere in the world and our players are really looking forward to teeing it up at a venue that is linked to the origins of the game as we know it. It is a true privilege.
“This is testament to the global vision of The International Series, and we are grateful to the dedicated team behind the scenes which has enabled the Asian Tour to grow from strength to strength over a short period of time.”
The Asian Tour’s elite-level International Series comprises of 10 events, featuring elevated prize funds, staged at iconic venues and welcoming top golfers from every continent and tour.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “The St Andrews Bay Championship will provide The International Series with an incredible opportunity to visit the ultimate golfing destination, St Andrews, Scotland, and we thank Fairmont St Andrews for helping to make this possible.
“The chance to stage an event at the Home of Golf so early on in our journey will be truly inspirational for our players and everyone involved in The International Series.
“We are an ambitious initiative that aims to travel and go beyond our traditional borders to help grow the game and there can be no better place to play one of our events than where the game originated.”
Three weeks ago Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho recorded an historic and life-changing victory on the Asian Tour but ahead of the International Series Vietnam, which starts Thursday at KN Golf Links, he remains typically grounded and level headed.
“It would be easy to get carried away with such an exceptional week,” said Kho, who won the World City Championship at the Hong Kong Golf Club last month to become the first player from his country to win on the Asian Tour.
“I have been trying to get back to the regular routine of training and practice. I am trying to get back to normal prep and getting one per cent better every day and get ready.”
This week is his first tournament back since that stunning victory, which was only his third start as a professional having made it through the Tour’s Qualifying School in January.
L-R – Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines, Michael Tran of Vietnam, Taichi Kho of Hong Kong and Chikkarangappa S. of India pose with the International Series Vietnam trophy on Tuesday. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It was the highlight of my career so far, and to perform well in front of my family and friends was truly really special, just having the hometown support,” he added.
“I felt like a lot of momentum was on my side because so many people were supporting me. On top of that playing such good golf was why I was able to have such a good week.”
This week is the fourth International Series event of the season, after Qatar, Oman and Thailand, and the eighth leg of the Asian Tour.
An outstanding field has entered the US$2million event including England’s Paul Casey, Anirban Lahiri from India and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
He said: “A win here would be incredible. The International Series always poses an incredible challenge in terms of quality of field and the courses. To get a win here would be incredible.”
His very first tournament as a professional was in fact in an International Series event, in Thailand, and he showed signs there of what was to come starting with an opening round 66 at Black Mountain before tying for 34th.
Kho pictured on Tuesday during an official practice round. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Two events later the impressive young golfer triumphed by two shots in Hong Kong from New Zealand’s Michael Hendry to fittingly celebrate the week he was announced as an ambassador of the Hong Kong Golf Club and the return of international tournament golf to the Special Administrative Region of China for the first time in 38 months.
His success also meant he secured one of the four spots up for grabs in this year’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in July. That will mark his first appearance in a major championship.
And his win, worth US$180,000, moved him into sixth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, setting up him for an outstanding first season that has put him in pole position to secure the Asian Tour Rookie of the Year Award.
Playing on The International Series has brought the best out of Travis Smyth, following recent qualification for The Open at Royal Liverpool, and he is hoping his consistent form of late can continue at this week’s inaugural International Series Vietnam.
The Australian has enjoyed a blistering start to the 2023 season on the Asian Tour, recording three top-10 finishes at the PFI Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers, International Series Qatar and most recently at the World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club.
The 28 year old stated that: “If there was one word to describe the start of the season so far it would be fight, I feel like I fought really well.”
His third-place finish at the World City Championship saw him secure one of the four spots available in The Open in July as the event had the honour of being part of The Open Qualifying Series, but speaking of his LIV Golf experience last year Smyth said: “It might be controversial, but I feel like I’ve played three majors already with the three LIV events that I have already played.”
Bio Kim, Taichi Kho, Travis Smyth, and Michael Hendry secured their places in The Open at the World City Championship recently. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Smyth played in those LIV Golf events by virtue of finishing second in the International Series England last year, which at the time was his best performance on the Asian Tour. But he bettered that by the only way possible later in the year by winning the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship, for his maiden Asian Tour victory.
He admits that he is now fueling his confidence tournament-by-tournament.
“I’ve knocked off a number of top 10s on the Asian Tour now and I’ve had a win last year, so I am starting to get really comfortable at this level of competition.
“It has been really good for my confidence to play well in Saudi against all the LIV players and even at all The International Series events now we’re getting a handful of LIV players competing every time. When you start to beat those guys, you do get a little chip of confidence!”
The International Series Vietnam, which starts Thursday, will be held at the Greg Norman-designed KN Golf Links, situated on the south-central coast in Cam Rahn, and is set to be the biggest and most lucrative golf tournament ever staged in Vietnam.
Smyth shared his excitement for the week ahead, and said: “I can’t wait, I looked at the photos online and I’ve spoken to a couple of the guys who have played there, and they said it’s amazing, so I’m really looking forward to it.
“I’ve heard it’s really good, Vietnam has blown up in terms of resort golf and they’re definitely trying to push it.”
Smyth claimed the Yeangder TPC last year, for his maiden win on the Asian Tour. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The Sydney native is enjoying the opportunities that The International Series provides, allowing him to develop as a player and play in different parts of the world where there are many similarities to his home city.
“It’s been amazing! I am loving that aspect, getting out to other parts of Asia and other parts of the world and learning and competing to play in all different types of conditions, it can only improve us as players if you look at it the right way.
“When you turn up to those countries and it’s harsh weather these are climates and conditions that I am used to coming from Sydney because we kind of get all four seasons in a day almost.”
The US$2 million Vietnam event is the fourth tournament on The International Series this season and the eighth stop on the Asian Tour.
By Joy Chakravarty in Augusta, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour.
The 87th Masters hasn’t even teed off and Joohyung ‘Tom’ Kim, one of the Asian Tour’s greatest graduates, made sure that a childhood dream was realised.
The Korean star played nine holes with five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods, the 1992 winner Fred Couples and the yet-to-be-jacketed Rory McIlroy on the first official practice day on Monday.
It was an experience that money can’t buy, and something that took Couples – enamoured by the massive game, character and attitude that the boy wonder exhibited during the Presidents Cup last year – only a couple of phone calls to fix.
Tom Kim (L), Tiger Woods (second from L), Rory McIlroy (second from R) and Fred Couples (R) all try to ‘skip’ their tee shots onto the 16th green during a practice round on Monday. Picture by David Cannon/Getty Images.
“I did not put the group together,” said Kim, winner of the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit at the end of the COVID-19 hit 2020-2022 season.
“That’s impossible for me. But Fred was telling me ever since the Presidents Cup, let’s play a practice round together. Just a couple of weeks ago, I got a text: ‘Hey, it’s going to be you, me, Tiger, Rory’. I was like, ‘okay, cool’.
“I think my first memory of just watching golf was the Masters and Tiger winning it, and for me to be able to share my first official practice round with him was a dream come true, really. And to not just play with Tiger but to have Fred Couples and Rory join us, it was, as I said, a dream.”
It turned out to be a long nine holes – almost three hours – but Kim insists every minute spent with the threesome was worth its weight in gold.
“It was really cool to see just the amount of work Tiger does around the greens – to pick which chip shots he was hitting and stuff like that. The positions he put himself in, was really cool to pick as well. I walked the back nine again after we played it and I got to kind of see where he pitched from. He has years and years of knowledge here and some success, so I’m pretty sure there’s a reason why he’s there,” said the 20 year old.
Couples helped set up the dream practice round. Picture by David Cannon/Getty Images.
“You don’t really need to talk to them and ask for advice. You can just see it and think to yourself, why are they hitting those shots to those pins? Why are they chipping from that particular spot? I guess they leave themselves that.
“Obviously, game plans are different because our games are different, but you can have an idea of how the course plays during tournament weeks and why they are chipping or putting.”
One of the oft-repeated comments about Augusta National is how cruel the golf course can be to first timers. The only Masters debutant (if you do not count the inaugural edition in 1934) to win the Green Jacket was Fuzzy Zoeller in 1977.
Kim is eager to change that particular Masters stat.
“I hope so, that I can change that. I got some really good work done, and this course actually does suit my eye a little bit. So, I’m trying to prepare really well. Obviously, some of the guys have been here a lot more than I have, but I have to adjust and adapt quickly,” said Kim.
“If I win, it would exceed expectations, for sure. But everyone wants to win the Masters. Everyone wants to park in the champions parking lot. Everyone wants to go to the Champions Dinner. Everyone wants to fight for it and I’m the same way. Hopefully, I’ll just be able to have a chance on Sunday. That would be a dream.”
Kim tees off at the iconic 18th. Picture by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.
As important as his two wins on the PGA Tour late last year were to muscle into the global golfing spotlight, Kim is in no doubt that his formative years in Asia played a huge role in his success story.
Three rapid-fire victories on the Asian Development Tour in 2019 earned him an instant promotion to the Asian Tour that year, and he duly celebrated by winning the Panasonic Open India, to become the second youngest professional to win an Asian Tour event, aged 17 years and 149 days. And after the global pandemic briefly halted his meteoric rise, he wrapped up the Tours’ Order of Merit title at the beginning of 2022, helped by victory in the season’s penultimate event, The Singapore International.
“I turned pro a lot earlier than what a lot of people do. I didn’t have a plan to go to college or play college golf. Obviously, back in Asia, it is allowed. I spent time there and I felt like it was a great time for me to adjust faster. Of course, I always wanted to be on the PGA Tour as early as possible,” said Kim, now ranked 19th in the world.
“Those times that I spent traveling and adjusting to the new courses, adjusting to new countries, eating different food…it helped me adjust quicker when I got here because I was so used to new conditions and adapting. Those three, four years, spending time on different tours in Asia definitely made my foundation really strong.
“Every single golfer wants to win the Masters, but for an Asian golfer to win is going to be a lot more impactful, because of how far all this feels growing up in Asia.
“Hopefully, this week, whether it’s me or any other Asian golfer, we will have a chance to win on Sunday and inspire the generations coming up.”
Kim has been paired with McIlroy and the in-form Sam Burns for the first two rounds.
The battle for two trophies came down to the final group on Sunday at LIV Golf Orlando, played at Orange County National, and the outcome was a split decision, with Smash GC Captain Brooks Koepka winning the individual trophy while Torque GC claimed its first team title.
Koepka’s win, by one stroke over Torque’s Sebastián Muñoz, makes him the first two-time winner in LIV Golf. The four-time Major champion won the regular-season finale last year in the Invitational Series in Jeddah. It’s also his first professional victory in his home state of Florida.
“I’ve been playing good for a few weeks,” Koepka said after his final-round three-under-par 68 left him at 15 under. “It just hasn’t really shown on the scorecard, making dumb mistakes. It was nice to come out this week and play mistake-free pretty much.”
Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann, who overhauled his roster during the offseason to add new LIV players Muñoz and Mito Pereira while bringing in LIV free agent David Puig, was happy to get the team title in just their third start with the new lineup. Torque’s Spanish-speaking four-man roster is the youngest in the LIV Golf League.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Niemann said. “… The chemistry between the four of us is pretty good since day one. All the practice rounds, the games we do, it’s pretty easy for the four of us to hang out together. I think we knew we could win since the first week. It just came a little bit later than we thought, actually.”
Sebastian Munoz, Mito Pereira, Joaquin Niemann and David Puig of Torgue GC celebrate winning the team event at the LIV Golf Orlando tournament. Picture by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images.
Both the individual and team competitions developed into potential playoffs during a tightly contested final round.
Koepka started the day with a three-shot lead but Muñoz – who opened with a record-tying 62 on Friday – provided constant pressure. He holed out from behind the green at the 16th hole to move within a stroke of the lead. At that point, Torque also tied Smash on the team leaderboard. Pereira then birdied the 17th hole to give Torque the lead.
It ultimately came down to the final hole and the final group. Both Koepka and Muñoz found the green with their approach shots but faced long birdie putts. Both attempts came up well short, giving each player nervy four-footers to maintain their positions. They both made their par putts, allowing Koepka to celebrate an individual win and Torque to celebrate the team win at the same time.
“I knew it was back-and forth between Torque and us, and then Sebastián, I knew where he was the entire time. It helps playing with him, obviously,” Koepka said. “He battled really hard. .. The fact he just wouldn’t go away was props to him because that’s just competing right there.”
Muñoz shot a final-round 66 to lead the Torque counting scores, with Puig shooting 67 and Pereira shooting 68.
“I just knew that I had Brooks against me, and I couldn’t let him beat me [in counting scores] because I wanted Torque to stay on top,” Muñoz said.
Asked how he balanced the success of the team against coming so close to the individual win, Muñoz replied, “Yeah, I had a moment right now when we were taking pictures. I had a trophy in my hand but finished second. It threw me off. But I’m really proud of what we achieved as a team, and I feel like it’s even tougher to win as a team.”
Meanwhile, Koepka had the same balancing act with Smash coming so close to its second team title. But he doesn’t have time to dwell on the outcome. He and 17 other LIV Golf members will be competing in the season’s first Major at the Masters next week.
“I’m very happy to get the win,” Koepka said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the team win, which kind of is a little bittersweet. But look, I’m happy the way I’m playing going into Augusta.”
Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, winner of the International Series Order of Merit on the Asian Tour last year, finished in 24th place after closing with a 71, to end on six under for the tournament.
Text courtesy of LIV Golf.
Brooks Koepka has 16 professional wins in eight different countries, but he’s never won an elite event in his home state of Florida.
That could change Sunday at LIV Golf Orlando.
Koepka, the Smash GC captain, shot his second consecutive six-under-par 65 to grab the 36-hole individual lead at 12 under at Orange County National. He’ll take a three-shot lead over Torque GC’s Sebastián Muñoz, the first-round leader who followed his record-tying 62 with a 71. Three players – Laurie Canter (Cleeks GC), Mito Pereira (Torque GC) and Patrick Reed (4Aces GC) – are at eight under.
Asian Tour star Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe, who is playing on the LIV Golf League this year by virtue of winning last year’s International Series Order of Merit, is in a tie for 14th after carding a 67 to move to five under.
Fueled by Koepka, Smash leads the team competition at 26 under, two shots ahead of Torque, with Cleeks another three shots back at 21 under.
Koepka, who grew up in the West Palm Beach area, played collegiately at Florida State, and currently lives in South Florida, wasn’t sure of the last time he won a golf tournament in the state.
“Probably a minor league golf event I remember playing in like 2012, 2013,” he said.
Sebastian Munoz of Torgue GC plays his shot from the seventh tee during day two of the LIV Golf Orlando event at The Orange County National on April 01, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images).
His family is attending LIV Golf Orlando this week, cheering for both Brooks and his younger brother Chase, who also plays for Smash. It could be a big celebration if Brooks and his team can claim both trophies on Sunday.
“They’ve got to be loving it, right?” Koepka said of his family. “I’ll speak for me, it’s pretty cool to have my brother, playing alongside him, being able to go do practice rounds, playing an event with him, seeing all the behind-the-scenes stuff that you guys might not see all the time and be able to spend more time with him, more QT. I think that’s been a big thing. It’s been pretty dope.”
Koepka will also be seeking his second LIV Golf individual title, having won last year in a play-off against then-teammate Peter Uihlein in the LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah. Including the 2022 Invitational Series, the first nine regular-season events in LIV Golf’s young history have been won by nine different players, so Koepka is in position to be the first individual to celebrate a second time atop the podium.
“It’s kind of tough to have multiple wins in nine events,” Koepka said. “If you do, you’re doing something right.”
Muñoz was one of 18 players in the 48-player field who did not break par Saturday. He realizes how difficult it is to back up a low round with another one, especially in the windy conditions offered by the Crooked Cat course. Despite the even-par score, he remains in contention in just his third LIV Golf start.
“I felt like my ball-striking was the same as yesterday,” Muñoz said. “I might have hit a few less fairways. Putts didn’t go in, and that’s a nine-shot difference. Pretty crazy.”
Canter is making his third start as a reserve player filling in for Cleeks GC Captain Martin Kaymer, who is close to returning from offseason wrist surgery.
“I kind of look at it like if this is the last LIV event I ever play, then it’s been awesome,” Canter said. “… I haven’t tried to put too much pressure on myself in terms of got to take the opportunity because golf doesn’t really work like that. Well, not for me anyway.”
Text courtesy of LIV Golf.
Torque GC’s Sebastián Muñoz played his first 11 holes in Friday’s opening round of LIV Golf Orlando in eight under. The thought of shooting 59 certainly was on his mind as he headed toward the tee box at the par-four seventh hole.
“Last year I shot 60 two times, so it’s one of my goals, to get to 59 one day,” Muñoz said. “I thought I hit a good shot on seven. I gave myself a 45-footer and I three-putted that one. I knew that was going to kind of be the end of the 59 strategy.”
Even so, Muñoz finished his round with consecutive birdies to shoot a nine-under-par 62 at Orange County National. That ties for the lowest score in LIV Golf history and gives the Colombian star a two-shot advantage going into the weekend of the third event on the LIV Golf League schedule. Cleeks GC’s Richard Bland is in solo second at 64, while Smash GC Captain Brooks Koepka and Tucson winner Danny Lee of Iron Heads GC share third at 65.
“Great day,” said Muñoz, who began his round with an eagle at the par-five 14th. “Felt really in control of my driver, irons, putting. … Everything felt kind of easy today.”
Smash leads the team leaderboard with a cumulative 14 under, one stroke better than Torque. Chase Koepka and Matthew Wolff supported their captain with counting scores of 67.
Smash is one of three teams that have yet to finish inside the points (top eight) through the first two events. Majesticks GC (third place at 11 under) and Cleeks GC (tied for 4th at 10 under) are the other two.
Captain Brooks Koepka of Smash GC plays his shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the LIV Golf Invitational – Orlando at The Orange County National on March 31, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
“It’s nice to see the team finally playing well,” Brooks Koepka said. “Chase played well and then Matt has been doing what he’s been doing. Just nice to see us actually compete, and hopefully we’re there on Sunday.”
The Koepka brothers were both born and raised in Florida. Brooks Koepka said he played some junior events at Orange County National two decades ago, but it’s his younger brother Chase who has more experience on the Crooked Cat course.
“He’s had Q-school here so many times,” Brooks said. “He was telling us what to do in the practice rounds, so that doesn’t happen too often, just because we’ve played so many different golf courses of the years. … It definitely helps, so I’ll take his advice.”
Bland began his round with a double-bogey but quickly bounced back with consecutive birdies and eventually finished with an eagle to climb into solo second.
“I kind of righted the ship pretty quick,” Bland said. “I played the front nine great. Whenever I kind of had a look, I made it.”
Despite winning two weeks ago in just his second LIV Golf start, Lee said he did not enter Orlando with high expectations. He started his round with a bogey but eventually found his groove, shooting a bogey-free six under on his last 14 holes.
“Monday through Thursday, my body wasn’t feeling well,” Lee said. “I was feeling weak, wasn’t sleeping well because of the time difference coming over from the West Coast. I didn’t know I was going to play this well.”
Text courtesy of LIV Golf.
Recent Comments