4Aces in line for LIV Golf Andalucia win as Gooch grabs pole position
Winner on 2023, Talor Gooch of the US and Smash GC holds a comfortable lead headed into the final day of LIV Golf Andalucia while the 4Aces lead the team race
- Jul 14, 2025,
- Updated Jul 14, 2025 8:35 PM IST
Individual season-long champion and winner of LIV Golf Andalucia 2023, US golfer Talor Gooch moved into pole position to repeat his title charge after the second round at Real Club Valderrama with a 5 under par round and a four-shot lead.
4Aces captain Dustin Johnson was a shot behind with Branden Grace of Stinger GC another stroke back in solo third. Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm, Dallas winner Patrick Reed of the 4Aces, and Iron Heads GC’s Jinichiro Kozuma were tied for fourth on 1 under par, LIV Golf said in an update.
“On LIV, there's really no lead that's safe, especially at a golf course like this,” Gooch said. later “Things can happen quickly, and you're one shot away from a big number. There's definitely no sense of being relaxed or calmness."
“I know DJ is right behind me. … There's just too many good players out here to feel like I'm comfortable just showing up and winning this tomorrow. I've got to play a really good round of golf to get this done.”
Johnson was bogey free in his 7 under 64, the lowest round through the first two days and his second lowest round, relative to par, this season. “My game has been really good the last month and a half or so,” said Johnson, who is seeking a LIV Golf tournament win for the fourth straight year.
“Just haven’t really seen the results that I feel like I should be shooting. Today, it was nice to actually put together a really solid round.”
In the team event, the 4Aces, who are also seeking a first win since 2023 led the way with a 2 over total, one ahead of Smash and five short up on Legion XIII. Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC, seeking their fourth consecutive victory, were sixth, nine strokes off the pace.
While Gooch is a past Valderrama, winner he knows how hard it can be to protect a lead on the challenging course. Last year, Anirban Lahiri entered the final round with the same four-shot lead but ultimately lost in a playoff to Fireballs GC captain and local favourite Sergio Garcia, who rallied from seven strokes behind.
Garcia is in the exact same position this year too, level par after 36 holes and seven strokes behind Gooch. “Everything has to go my way tomorrow,” added Garcia. “Not only do I have to play really well, but then the leaders have to play badly. It's a big combination of things.
“I feel like I’ve played really, really well the last two days, but unfortunately, I’ve given away probably seven or eight shots in the last two rounds,” he said. “With the way I played today, I could have easily shot 7-under.”
Spanish native Rahm has enjoyed the embrace of his countrymen this week at Andalucía. He hopes to repay their support with a big final round rally after a second-round 70 that left him six shots off the lead.
Asked about his fans, Rahm said: “It means the world. It also feels a little heavier on you when you make mistakes or don't take advantage of the ones that could have been. I'm not only upset for myself, but I'm a little bit upset for them as well that I'm not going to have a better chance tomorrow.
“But I always like to think that things tend to even out throughout the week, and I'm hoping that those that I haven't made today go in tomorrow.”
Individual season-long champion and winner of LIV Golf Andalucia 2023, US golfer Talor Gooch moved into pole position to repeat his title charge after the second round at Real Club Valderrama with a 5 under par round and a four-shot lead.
4Aces captain Dustin Johnson was a shot behind with Branden Grace of Stinger GC another stroke back in solo third. Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm, Dallas winner Patrick Reed of the 4Aces, and Iron Heads GC’s Jinichiro Kozuma were tied for fourth on 1 under par, LIV Golf said in an update.
“On LIV, there's really no lead that's safe, especially at a golf course like this,” Gooch said. later “Things can happen quickly, and you're one shot away from a big number. There's definitely no sense of being relaxed or calmness."
“I know DJ is right behind me. … There's just too many good players out here to feel like I'm comfortable just showing up and winning this tomorrow. I've got to play a really good round of golf to get this done.”
Johnson was bogey free in his 7 under 64, the lowest round through the first two days and his second lowest round, relative to par, this season. “My game has been really good the last month and a half or so,” said Johnson, who is seeking a LIV Golf tournament win for the fourth straight year.
“Just haven’t really seen the results that I feel like I should be shooting. Today, it was nice to actually put together a really solid round.”
In the team event, the 4Aces, who are also seeking a first win since 2023 led the way with a 2 over total, one ahead of Smash and five short up on Legion XIII. Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC, seeking their fourth consecutive victory, were sixth, nine strokes off the pace.
While Gooch is a past Valderrama, winner he knows how hard it can be to protect a lead on the challenging course. Last year, Anirban Lahiri entered the final round with the same four-shot lead but ultimately lost in a playoff to Fireballs GC captain and local favourite Sergio Garcia, who rallied from seven strokes behind.
Garcia is in the exact same position this year too, level par after 36 holes and seven strokes behind Gooch. “Everything has to go my way tomorrow,” added Garcia. “Not only do I have to play really well, but then the leaders have to play badly. It's a big combination of things.
“I feel like I’ve played really, really well the last two days, but unfortunately, I’ve given away probably seven or eight shots in the last two rounds,” he said. “With the way I played today, I could have easily shot 7-under.”
Spanish native Rahm has enjoyed the embrace of his countrymen this week at Andalucía. He hopes to repay their support with a big final round rally after a second-round 70 that left him six shots off the lead.
Asked about his fans, Rahm said: “It means the world. It also feels a little heavier on you when you make mistakes or don't take advantage of the ones that could have been. I'm not only upset for myself, but I'm a little bit upset for them as well that I'm not going to have a better chance tomorrow.
“But I always like to think that things tend to even out throughout the week, and I'm hoping that those that I haven't made today go in tomorrow.”