Three-way tie for lead at LIV Golf Houston, Cleeks lead team race

Defending team champions Crushers GC were in seventh place, six shots behind day one leaders Cleeks GC on after the opening day of LIV Golf Houston in Humble, Texas, while Legion XIII member Caleb Surrat was in a three-way tie at the top of the individual leaderboard on Friday,

The Crushers were led by a bogey-free 5 under par 67 by Paul Casey with counting contributions of 2 under 69s from team captain Bryson DeChambeau and Anirban Lahiri to total 11 under for the day with the Cleeks on 17 under powered by matching 65s from captain Martin Kaymer and Adrian Meronk.

Surrat’s error-free 65 pulled Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII into a tie for third place alongside the all-Australian Rippers GC, 2022 season toppers 4Aces and the Spanish-speaking Fireballs GC on 12 under par totals. Torque GC were second on 14 under par, three shots behind the leaders.

The 20-year-old Surratt, youngest on LIV Golf’s roster, put behind his early season wobbles and his opening run at the Golf Club of Houston left him a happy golfer. “Obviously, I have the mindset that the job is not finished by any means,” Surratt said later, “but I’m really happy to be out here playing free for probably the first time this season.” The Cleeks’ on 17 under may have put them on track for their first trophy of any kind, and Friday was the first time they have led the field since last year’s opening round in Adelaide. US Open-bound Kaymer, one of 12 LIV Golf personnel scheduled to play next week at Pinehurst, also seems to have rediscovered his touch after coming through surgery on his wrist.

Kaymer’s team were tied for second at the most recent LIV Golf event in Singapore, their best-ever result, and a fortnight ago, team member Richard Bland won the Senior PGA Championship on his senior debut. “I think what Richard did a couple of weeks ago really helped our team spirit,” said Kaymer. “We were really in a good place, but a win can make a big difference. … The way Richard is playing is inspiring.”

Of his wrist, the German, who picked up four shots in a row on Friday, added, “It all started in Hong Kong and then I was getting better and better. Little things, once they fall into place, then rounds like this can happen. I’m still not there where I would like to be, but it’s all fairly consistent now.

“I still have to play two more rounds here,” Kaymer said of the US Open, “then my mindset will go to Pinehurst.”

Kevin Na of the Iron Heads and Carlos Ortiz of Torque were a shot behind the three leaders on 6 under 66 with seven players a further two shots back, including individual points leader Joaquin Niemann of Torque and hometown favourite Patrick Reed of the 4Aces. In all, 41 of the 54 players in the field broke par, with nine returning bogey-free rounds, as the winds died down on a steamy afternoon at the Golf Club of Houston. “When the wind dies around here, especially when it’s this hot, we’re going to be able to shoot a number,” said Reed. “Hopefully go out this weekend and continue that momentum.”