Sergio García (-11) will compete this Sunday at the Hong Kong Golf Club for his second career victory in LIV Golf. The golfer from Borriol, in a simply spectacular second round, signed a card of 64 strokes, with six birdies and free of bogeys, to climb to the co-lead of the tournament, which he shares with Englishman Paul Casey (-11) and American Peter Uihlein (-11) with the final 18 holes to play.
The only victory to date for the golfer from Castellón in the Saudi tour was last year, at the LIV Golf Andalucía, played on one of his favourite courses, the Real Club Valderrama. This week, interestingly, players like Bryson DeChambeau compared this Chinese course to the one in Cádiz, referring to it as a course that makes you think. So for García, it could be said that it’s like ‘playing at home’.
Being a big hitter is not an advantage in Hong Kong, but even so, Sergio has shown that when he finds the best version of his golf, he is capable of making the most of all the clubs in his bag, including the driver. Today he gave a masterclass from the tee, missing only two fairways and navigating the course with the precision of a surgeon.
Right from the first par five, on hole 3, his second flag of the day, he made his intentions clear. He attempted to reach the green in two and, although he landed in the bunker, it was no impediment for him to sign his first birdie of the day. And immediately afterwards, on the par four of hole 3, he unleashed his ability to read tricky greens by sinking a great putt for birdie from over five metres.
Until hole 10, the ninth of his round, he didn’t miss a fairway. But he recovered wonderfully from the bunker where his ball landed to save par. On the 11th, he went a bit long with his approach, perhaps his only mistake with the irons, but he putted from the edge of the rough with a wood, a signature shot, and was able to save par. And from there, he capitalised on the back nine with birdies on the 13th, 16th, and another on the 17th, with a great six-metre putt.
When Sergio finds his game, he is an almost unstoppable player. And for him, this 2025 is a very important year, with the Masters and the PGA Championship on the horizon, the possibility of competing for a spot in the Open in July… and above all, the desire to play in the Ryder Cup, his favourite tournament. He has even revived the old method that brought him much success in his day of alternating two caddies: this week Ben James carries his bag, and for other tournaments, he chooses Neil Wallace. This Sunday, he will try to continue making strides towards his goal by competing for the win in the Chinese LIV event.
Casey, who has reduced his birdie production today but has stayed in the fight, and Uihlein, in a crazy round where he missed a lot from the tee, made numerous mistakes and up to four bogeys, including one on the par five of the third, but on the other hand, he holed putts of all kinds, with tremendous putts and even some birdies from off the green, has also presented his candidacy. However, he will need to be more consistent tomorrow if he truly wants to contend for the win.
Chipping his way to the top @PeterUihlein 💪
He takes the solo lead on 9-under with 7 to play 😤
Tune in on @FS1 now 📺
Stream on the LIV Golf app 📲#LIVGolfHongKong @RangeGoatsGC pic.twitter.com/KhuQ1EEuVb
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) March 8, 2025
The ‘reborn’ Phil Mickelson (-8), who continues to edge closer to the formula to compete with the young players, Sebastián Muñoz (-8) and Mito Pereira (-8), who made a hole-in-one, are also looking to be the alternative, although they will start with a disadvantage after a Saturday in which Luis Masaveu (-2) fell back, playing three strokes over par, after his great start to the tournament, and where the other two Spaniards in contention have taken a step forward to fight for the top positions.
Jon Rahm (-6) has yet to finish a LIV tournament where he has completed the 54 holes outside the top 10. And after his slow start yesterday, he seems unwilling for the one in China to be the first. Today he shone with a great round where he didn’t need to be particularly sharp from the tee to make seven birdies, with only one bogey. Great recoveries and very good putts, some from medium and long distances, have propelled the man from Barrika to a tied sixth place.
David Puig (-5), for his part, played much better than his score shows. It won’t be enough for him to compete for the win, but he does have the top 10 within reach after a Saturday with six birdies and three bogeys. In the team competition, Torque GC (-26) led by Joaquín Niemann are in front, but recovering positions, Legion XIII (-23) of Rahm has joined the HyFlyers (-23) in the fight for the team victory.
