NEWS AND NOTES: DJ DOWN, NOT OUT; BLAND'S SLOW-PLAY PENALTY
Bryson DeChambeau shot a bogey-free 63 to grab the second-round lead at LIV Golf Andalucía, but there were plenty of other news and notes from Saturday at Valderrama:
JOHNSON’S DIFFICULT DAY: 4Aces GC Captain Dustin Johnson shot an even-par 71, but the first-round co-leader remains in the hunt at 4 under and in solo fourth through two rounds.
“If you're not hitting it solid and where you want to hit it, it plays very difficult, which it did today for me,” Johnson said. “You've got to drive it in the fairway, which I just didn't do. Then the few times I was in the fairway, I missed the green with wedges or short irons, and you just can't do that.
“For today, the course played very difficult for myself, but luckily I chipped and putted very well and shot even par. It could have been a lot worse than that.”
BRYSON ENJOYS THE SPANISH FANS: The fans at Valderrama have cheered loudly for Spanish star Sergio Garcia and young countrymen David Puig and Eugenio Chacarra, but they also provided American Bryson DeChambeau with plenty of support on Saturday.
“With the chants and everything and the loud music, it definitely felt close to an atmosphere upwards of like a Ryder Cup,” DeChambeau said. “It definitely is a different vibe here, but it's nice to have the support of Europeans. It's a little different than a Ryder Cup in that regard. But it was fantastic.
“Walking up and hearing the chants and everything, I couldn't ask for anything more. It's great support out here, and I love the fans here. Great people.”
KOEPKA MAKES EAGLE: Brooks Koepka bounced back from an opening bogey at the par-4 16th with an eagle at the par-5 17th – his first eagle in LIV Golf competition this season. It’s the 16th hole that has left him perplexed through two rounds.
“I felt like an idiot after making bogey on 16,” Koepka said. “I don't know, I can't figure that hole out. I haven't hit a good tee shot in the practice rounds or the tournaments. Hoping for a better one tomorrow. It's a difficult hole. You put some of these -- you could be four yards out of your intended line here and then be really, really blocked out or in some serious trouble. It's a good golf course.”
GOOCH’S DRIVER FROM THE ROUGH: Talor Gooch opted to use driver off the deck at the par-5 11th – and it wasn’t from the fairway, but the rough.
"I had a great lie,” Gooch said. “It was just sitting up, right short of the bunker, so it was on an upslope. Because of where it was on the bunker, the rough was thin. My 10-year-old self saw that and I’m like, I’m hitting driver off the deck."
Gooch made birdie on the hole for the second consecutive day.
PUIG’S FAMILY IN TOWN: LIV Golf’s youngest player, 21-year-old David Puig, is getting a taste of home cooking by playing in his native Spain. On Saturday, he looked very much at home, shooting a 5-under 66 that moved him into a tie for sixth.
Many of his family members in attendance had never seen him live in a LIV event.
“It gives me extra motivation for sure,” Puig said. “Having my family here, girlfriend, friends and all the fans here, it helps for sure. Even if you hit a poor shot, they still cheer you on. It's very important.”
BLAND RECEIVES ONE-STROKE PENALTY: In round two, the group of Dean Burmester, Sergio Garcia and Richard Bland were officially warned by a rules official after their 4th hole of the day (hole 8) where the group was out of position on the golf course as well as behind in relation to time par.
After their 9th hole of the day (hole 13) the group, who had further lost position on the course, was officially timed by a rules official. In accordance with the LIV Golf League Pace of Play Policy, “A player has 40 seconds to play each stroke, with an additional 10 seconds if they are the first to play any stroke in the group.”
On the tee of the 15th hole, Richard Bland, who was first to play, received a time of 84 seconds for his first stroke. This exceeded the allotted time per the policy. Bland was immediately notified by an official and assessed a one-stroke penalty. With the one-stroke penalty, Bland’s score of 4 on the par-3 15th hole resulted in a score of 5.
RD. 2 STAT LEADERS
Driving distance – Peter Uihlein, 340.5-yard average
Longest drive – Peter Uihlein, 382.7 yards (17th hole)
Driving accuracy – Cameron Smith, 86% (12 of 14)
Greens in regulation – Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, 78% (14 of 18)
Scrambling – Bryson DeChambeau, 100% (4 of 4)
Fewest putts – David Puig, 22 putts
Most birdies – Talor Gooch, 8
Bogey-free rounds – Bryson DeChambeau, 63