The Mexican Abraham Ancer (-7), with a sensational scorecard of 64 flawless strokes, has taken the lead in the LIV Golf in Nashville, a Saudi tour tournament that kicked off this Friday at The Grove. With seven birdies that could have been even more, a solid tee to green game and great accuracy on the greens, the golfer who shares a team with three Spaniards in the Fireballs leads the tournament with a one-stroke lead over Tyrrell Hatton (-6) and two over John Catlin (-5).
This first day of competition in the capital of Tennessee also saw Bryson DeChambeau (-4) play his first tournament as the reigning US Open champion, after his brilliant victory last Sunday in Pinehurst. The Californian, thrilled after his great success in North Carolina, signed a great 67 to start this ninth test of the season in LIV Golf. A result that could have been better had he holed the good birdie option he made on the 18th.
.@b_dechambeau keeps the celebrations going on the party hole 🎉#LIVGolf @Crushers_GC pic.twitter.com/4EbmAuCkIn
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) June 21, 2024
A hole that ended up slightly distancing the Spaniard Jon Rahm (-1), with whom the ‘scientist’ shared the game. The one from Barrika, back after recovering from the strange infection between two toes of a foot that prevented him from playing the major of the USGA, had a day of ups and downs. He started very well, with two birdies in the first four holes, but on the par five of the 7th things got complicated with a ball out of bounds and a visit to a sand obstacle. The bogey, however, did not stop him…
On the 11th and 14th he sealed two new birdies to go three under par and start looking up in the ranking. On the 15th and 16th he had two birdie options that would undoubtedly have put him fully in the fight to finish among the top three. But not only did he not take advantage of them, but he closed his round with two consecutive bogeys, at the par four of the 17th and the par five of the 18th. In the end, a round of 70 strokes, six behind the leader, but just a couple of strokes from the top 10, recoverable distances over the weekend.
.@PuigCorrius on a heater 🔥
He's birdied 4 of his opening 6 holes to lead at 4-under 👀#LIVGolf @fireballsgc_ pic.twitter.com/TWkeYOm9bv
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) June 21, 2024
Jon was the worst ranked Spaniard in this first round, tied for 20th place. Ahead, tied for 11th place, David Puig (-2), who at one point led the ranking with four consecutive birdies in his first five holes, but who made two bogeys in the second half of his round; tied for 8th place, Sergio García (-3), with a good 68, with four birdies and only one bogey, bringing the good vibes he showed at the US Open to Nashville; and Eugenio López Chacarra (-4), making a notable start to the Armada.
The Madrid native, tied for fourth along with DeChambeau, Sebastián Muñoz (-4) and Sam Horsfield (-4), was a ‘machine’ for making birdies, with no less than seven, in almost half of the holes played. But he made three bogeys that prevented him from ending the day on the ‘podium’. However, his team, the Fireballs (-14), comfortably leads the overall team standings with a four-stroke margin over DeChambeau and Cantlay’s Crushers (-10) and five over Muñoz, Ortiz and Pereira’s Torque (-9).
