Rd. 1 News And Notes: DeChambeau getting energy from fans
COLLEGE GROVE, Tenn. - Round 1 of LIV Golf Nashville is in the books, and the fans came out in force to see the LIV Golf League's stars. Here are some news and notes from Friday at The Grove.
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DECHAMBEAU FIGHTING FATIGUE: No one will blame Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau if he eventually succumbs to exhaustion – both physically and mentally – after winning a pressure-packed U.S. Open last week in Pinehurst.
Having invited golf fans to share in his victory via his touch-the-trophy declaration, DeChambeau is determined to keep his promise while meeting all the other obligations and demands that come with such a popular major victory.
His 4-under 67 in Friday’s opening round at LIV Golf Nashville was a study in determination, even as he fought to maintain his focus at times. He utilized the crowd support to keep going, starting with his tee shot at the first hole as he was introduced as the U.S. Open champion.
“The crowd have given me a lot of energy,” he said. “Very gracious to have that happen. Man, they’re just pushing me forward. I can’t thank them enough.”
Even so, he said there were moments when he stood over putts as the crowd hushed, and he began losing focus.
“My head was starting to bob a little bit,” he said. “I’m like ‘Come on, come on.’ I started looking around the crowd and seeing how many people were them and I’m like, ‘I’ve got to go.’ It was really fun to get back in that mindset and focus super-hard, but there was a few moments out there, for sure.”
DeChambeau’s first birdie at The Grove was at the 344-yard par-4 fourth, when he found the greenside bunker with his drive and successfully got up-and-down. It was his up-and-down from the bunker at the 18th hole Sunday at Pinehurst that guaranteed the U.S. Open win.
DeChambeau bogeyed the sixth, but then immediately reeled off four consecutive birdies, his wedge play continuing to be an effective weapon.
“I didn’t know how well I’d do today, but I know my game is in a really good spot,” DeChambeau said. “I’m putting well, hitting my irons really well, driving it solid and yeah, I gave myself a lot of good chances today. … I’m full-court press to do it again here this week.”
His final birdie was at the party-hole par-3 15th when he drained a putt from 8 feet. He used his 56-degree wedge for his tee shot – the same club he used out of the bunker on the final hole at Pinehurst.
“That club has been working pretty solidly for me so far,” he said.
When DeChambeau rolled in the putt, he cupped his right ear to hear the crowd, who did not disappoint, offering the loudest cheers of the day.
“I wanted to make that putt for the crowd,” he said. “When I saw it about a foot away, I’m like, oh, that’s going in. So I just tried to pump the crowd up again.”
HATTON’S PUTTING ADJUSTMENT: Tyrrell Hatton has been among LIV Golf’s best putters in his first season, but a final-round 77 at the U.S. Open left him feeling an adjustment was needed.
“Just wasn’t really hitting my start lines on a lot of tricky little putts,” he said. “So I just sort of narrowed my stance a little bit and just pushed the ball a little bit further forward because I was missing a lot of putts right.”
He tried the new stance during Thursday’s pro-am and was pleased with the results, which carried over on Friday as he ranked third in the field in fewest putts with 24.
“I had a few tricky putts inside 5 feet that were quick that you’re just sort of nudging, and hitting the start line there was really nice,” he said. “It was good to see those go in.”
ANY-COURSE ANCER: The Hong Kong Golf Club that Abraham Ancer won on earlier this year seemed ideal for his ball-striking game. This week’s course, The Grove, has more generous fairways, which should give longer hitters an advantage.
But the first-round leader is determined to show he can thrive on any course.
“I like to think that wherever I go, I can compete, so I don’t like to be thinking that way,” Ancer said. “I feel like I get to some golf courses where I’m supposed to play good and just put too much pressure and just ended up playing terribly.
“I don’t like to see it that way. I like to just figure out the best way to play it and try to post a number.”
RAHM RETURNS: Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm returned to action after withdrawing during the second round at LIV Golf Houston with a foot injection, an injury that also prevented him from playing in last week’s U.S. Open.
Rahm was 2 under through his first four holes but bogeyed his last two holes to finish with a 1-under 70.
PARTY-HOLE STATS: The par-3 15th played to 122 yards on Friday and ranked as the only par 3 among the four at The Grove to play under par, with a field stroke average of 2.778. Of the 54 players in the field, 16 made birdies and just four suffered bogeys.
If any player makes a hole-in-one this week at the 15th, one lucky fan will win $100,000 through a Party Hole giveaway for those who sign up for LIV X. Smash GC’s Talor Gooch and RangeGoats GC’s Matthew Wolff came close to making aces on Friday.
ROUND 1 STATS LEADERS
Driving accuracy: Kevin Na, 100% (14 of 14 fairways hit)
Driving distance: Jon Rahm, 338.4 yards avg.
Longest drive: Joaquin Niemann, 346.1 yards, 18th hole
Greens in regulation: Louis Oosthuizen, 94.44% (17 of 18 greens)
Scrambling: Carlos Ortiz (5 of 5), Lee Westwood (5 of 5), Abraham Ancer (4 of 4), Louis Oosthuizen (1 of 1), 100%
Putting: Eugenio Chacarra, 1.22 putts per hole
Bogey-free rounds: Abraham Ancer (64), Carlos Ortiz (68), Lee Westwood (69)