With a strong finish to the second round on Saturday, Jon Rahm of Spain fired an 8-under 62 to take a two-shot lead at LIV Golf Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
Rahm, who is at 14-under 126, has just one bogey through 36 holes and leads by two shots over Lucas Herbert of Australia (63 on Saturday), Richard Bland of England (64), Brooks Koepka (64) and Talor Gooch (65).
On Sunday, Rahm will take aim at his second straight LIV title after winning LIV United Kingdom last month.
“Great round of golf,” Rahm said. “Maybe not the fastest start you can get out on this track, but just good swings, good golf in general, and from the 10th hole on, those next 11 holes were pretty special. To play those holes 8-under was some good golf. I didn’t really make many mistakes, and it showed.
“I feel like one bogey through 36 holes is very organized so far, and just really enjoying myself out there. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Starting his round on the second hole in a shotgun start, Rahm eagled the par-5 No. 17, then birdied No. 18 and the first hole to close his round.
Ripper GC, which includes Herbert, Cam Smith, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones, are at 36 under through two rounds and hold a one-shot lead over Smash GC (Koepka, Gooch, Jason Kokrak and John Catlin).
“I think it would be unreal,” Smith said of winning the team title. “I think it would be kind of even better if we managed to get an individual win in there, as well.
“The couple of wins at the start of the year were very nice, but it was kind of a bit of an odd feeling winning the team event and not having someone stand up there lifting the trophy. Hopefully, one of us tomorrow can go shoot a low one, and the drinks will be on them.”
Smith, who had two bogeys en route to a 63, is among a foursome three shots off the lead at 11-under 129. A total of nine players were separated by three shots entering the final round.
“It was a good day,” Smith said. “I got off to a pretty good start, and then just got kind of a little bit slow there at the end. I think probably the back nine is a harder nine out here, even though there are a couple of par-5s. There’s a couple of kind of stinky tee shots and greens to hit into.”
Bryson DeChambeau, who shot a final-round 58 to win the event last year, finished at 65 on Saturday and is seven back of the leader in 16th at 7 under.
–Field Level Media