This Friday has started at the Bolingbrook Golf Club, on the outskirts of Chicago, the last individual tournament of the 2024 season in LIV Golf. After this event, only the team final remains next week in Dallas. So from today until Sunday, many things are at stake on the tour, especially who manages to become champion, with two contenders for the throne. On one hand, the Spaniard Jon Rahm (-1), who arrives as leader to this decisive event, and on the other Joaquín Niemann (-2), the only one who can snatch the title from the Barrika native.
The first ’round’ from this particular battle between two of the heavyweights of the Saudi tour has been won on points by the Chilean. With a round of 68 strokes, two below the par of the field, with five birdies, one bogey and a painful double bogey on hole 15 when he was about to assault the top positions of the classification, Joaquín has finished the first round tied in fourth place with six other players: Bryson DeChambeau, Ian Poulter, Lucas Herbert, Henrik Stenson, Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed.
The fairways are firm out here… @JonRahmOfficial hits this 3-wood 340 yards off the tee 👀#LIVGolf @LegionXIIIgc pic.twitter.com/6vIVUroVBi
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) September 13, 2024
Although Jon is just one stroke below after signing 69 in these first 18 holes, with two birdies and one bogey, the equation would be enough in the distribution of points for the Chilean to snatch the first place in the overall classification of the circuit. So the Barrika native, without hurry but without pause, must start to show his best version, which he has not been able to find today, to at least finish tied with Niemann, which would automatically give him the title regardless of the position (except in a playoff for the victory where the crown would be for the winner).
Unrelated to this battle for the ring that distinguishes the champion, but fully involved in the fight to reach the podium, is Brooks Koepka (-8), who today has strolled through Bolingbrook with a real exhibition. Spectacular round of 62 strokes, with eight birdies without fault, place the West Palm Beach native at the top of the classification with four strokes over Paul Casey (-4) and five over Anirban Lahiri (-3), unable, like everyone else, to follow his tremendous production of hits.
In full control 😤@BKoepka fires an 8-under 62 to lead by 4-shots after round 1 🔥#LIVGolf @SmashGC pic.twitter.com/lQXjppGzFB
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) September 13, 2024
Sergio García (-1), who is also fighting for third place in the overall, has finished tied with Rahm in 11th place, while Eugenio López Chacarra (PAR), tied for 19th, and David Puig (+1), tied for 21st place, have not been able to beat the field. In teams, the Crushers GC (-9) of Casey, Lahiri, DeChambeau and Howell III lead, with a four-stroke margin over the 4Aces and the Smash GC. It should be remembered that it is also at stake which 12 teams get into the final in Dallas and which one is left out.
