There are two films that could quite well define the dynamics of LIV Golf. One is The Usual Suspects. The other is Groundhog Day. We are referring, of course, to the players who week in and week out find themselves in the top spots of the leaderboard and are vying for victories. The horizon doesn’t change much. Once again, now at the Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico, we have Bryson DeChambeau (-13), Cameron Smith (-12), Joaco Niemann (-10), Jon Rahm (-9), and Tyrrell Hatton (-8) at the top. The victory should be among them this Sunday. Nothing surprising.
Rahm is back in the fight to win, although it feels like he left a lot of ground this Saturday. His round of 68 was insufficient, for example, to secure a spot in the leading group. He started well, with two notable birdies, taking advantage of the early holes at Chapultepec, where you can score well. However, a double bogey on the 5th, after missing the tee shot, hitting a poor third shot, and finishing with three putts, threw him off. It’s a constant this season. It seems like yes, but no. It seems like Jon is going to catch the lead, but something always happens, and he ends up slightly behind, trailing.
He still has chances of victory, among other things because he reacted very well in the final stretch, with three birdies between holes 12 and 16. However, once again, he has left a lot of work ahead. If it were any other player, he would be practically ruled out for the victory, but Jon has shown many times what he is capable of, and Chapultepec has also shown that few can be made. There is the round of 64 by Joaquín Niemann this Saturday to attest to it. Jon will need something like that tomorrow and hope for some help from those above. It doesn’t seem easy to cut four shots from DeChambeau, three from Smith, and one from a Niemann who is growing in the tournament.
DeChambeau secured the solo lead of the tournament with a great birdie on the final hole of the course, a par 3. He hit a very aggressive shot between the flag and the water and was rewarded by sinking a good putt, a trademark from just off the green. It’s his second consecutive week leading the final group of a tournament. The previous one was at the Masters, and it didn’t end in the best way. He’s eager for revenge.
As for the rest of the Spaniards, David Puig (-2) remains in the top 25 with another round of 70, Luis Masaveu (+1) has lost positions after a more erratic day of 73, and Sergio García (+6) is definitely not having his week. He shot another 74 and is far from the points.
In the team standings, Cameron Smith’s Rippers are leading, seeking their second consecutive victory, ahead of Crushers, Torque, and Legion XIII.
