Staff WriterLIV Golf Korea presented by Coupang Play roared to life on Friday at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, delivering a riveting opening round.
LIV Golf Korea saw Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau and Smash GC’s Talor Gooch both fire bogey-free 7-under 65s to share the individual lead.
DeChambeau’s Quick-Start Prowess
Bryson DeChambeau, never one to ease into a tournament, drained a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th to cap his flawless round.
It marked the second straight week he’s held at least a share of the lead after 18 holes and the fifth top-5 opening round in his last seven worldwide starts — Masters included.
“It was a tough, gruelling round of golf,” said DeChambeau, who tied for fifth last week in Mexico City. “I was proud of the way I stuck in there. I played some great golf today.”
Gooch’s Iron Resurgence
Talor Gooch, hungry to recapture the sizzling form of his 2023 campaign, rattled off six birdies in an eight-hole stretch.
After a disappointing 2024 season and a sluggish start to 2025, his back-to-back top-15 finishes in Miami and Mexico City hinted at a resurgence.
“Yeah, it was a tough start to the year,” Gooch admitted after carding his 65. “The game was pretty rusty.
It’s been nice these past couple events to show some life and get some good golf going again.
Hopefully this round kind of kick-starts a good rest of the season and we can kind of channel some of that 2023 season again.”
Round 1 Highlights
A few standout moments from the opening day at Liv Golf Korea:
- Two Aces in One Round: Stinger GC’s Dean Burmester aced the 205-yard 13th, then Ripper GC’s Marc Leishman holed out at the 172-yard 5th. That’s four aces already this season and 12 in LIV Golf history. “A hole-in-one and an eagle in one day, that doesn’t happen very often,” Burmester laughed after also eagling the par-5 18th.
- Elevation Change: From nearly 8,000 feet in Mexico City to sea level in Incheon, curve-ball control was paramount. “I curve the ball a lot, so at elevation it was nice for the ball to fly a lot straighter. Here, it’s curving a lot,” DeChambeau said.
- Smash Success: Despite an up-and-down season, Smash GC shot a team 10-under to lead Crushers by one. Gooch’s Smash teammates will relish the chance to extend their streak of at least one team trophy per season.
- Iron Heads Rebound: Local heroes Iron Heads GC overcame Yubin Jang’s early sextuple bogey to finish 1-under as a team, rallying around the hometown spirit.
- Reserves Shine: RangeGoats’ replacement Minkyu Kim shot a tidy 3-under 69, while John Catlin—filling in for an injured Branden Grace—posted a 73.
Team Standings and Weekend Outlook
Smash GC (-10) now tops Crushers GC (-9), with RangeGoats GC lurking at -8.
Stinger GC, led by Louis Oosthuizen, and Cleeks GC’s Richard Bland share third at -6. Oosthuizen couldn’t resist a stroll down memory lane: “Definitely today on a few occasions I remember shots that I hit back in 2015. Just good memories.”
As the field resets for Saturday’s shotgun start, all eyes will be on how these leaders manage the water-laced challenges of this Presidents Cup-tested layout.
LIV Golf Korea has already delivered drama, and with a $4 million winner’s cheque on the line, the weekend promises even more fireworks.
“I’m excited for the weekend,” DeChambeau said. “It’s going to be a fun battle.”
Stay tuned as LIV Golf Korea continues to redefine the sport’s landscape on Korean soil.
