ADELAIDE, Australia — Jinichiro Kozuma birdied his first three holes in a bogey-free spherical of 9-under 63 to take a one-stroke lead Friday after the primary spherical of the LIV Sequence golf match in Adelaide.
Beginning on the fifteenth gap within the shotgun-style begin, the Japanese participant had seven birdies and an eagle on the par-5 seventh gap at The Grange, the place final yr’s inaugural occasion featured one of many largest galleries of the yr on the LIV sequence.
Native media reported 40,000 spectators attended Friday.
“In the present day my placing was actually good. It was actually scorching,” Kozuma mentioned. “I had some troubles right here and there, however my placing was there to assist me get via pars.”
Carlos Ortiz and Danny Lee have been tied for second with 64s, whereas 4 others have been tied for fourth with 65s. The group included Jon Rahm, who has but to win since becoming a member of LIV in December.
“Clearly on any sort of golf course, in the event you begin the match with an 8-under spherical, it is excellent,” Lee mentioned. “There’s plenty of birdie holes on the market. No matter I used to be doing at this time and no matter Jinny [Kozuma] was doing at this time labored out fairly good.”
Ortiz mentioned if the wind stays the best way it’s, coming after the rain main into the match, “I feel it undoubtedly units up the golf course fairly gettable, particularly in the event you put it within the fairway.”
Sequence factors chief Joaquín Niemann, who has two LIV titles this season, opened with a 67. Talor Gooch, who gained the primary of his three LIV titles final season at Adelaide, shot 68.
The LIV tour stays within the Asia area subsequent week for the Might 3-5 Singapore occasion on the Sentosa Golf Membership. Then there is a monthlong break earlier than resuming in Houston from June 7-9.
