RD. 3 NEWS AND NOTES: KIM SHOOTS FINAL-ROUND 65 IN HONG KONG
HONG KONG – Abraham Ancer won the individual title in a playoff at LIV Golf Hong Kong while Crushers Golf Club won their second consecutive team trophy with another final-round rally. Here are some other news and notes from the final round at Hong Kong Country Club.
RELATED: ANCER WINS 3-MAN PLAYOFF; CRUSHERS RALLY AGAIN TO WIN 2ND STRAIGHT
KIM SHOOTS 65: Wild Card player Anthony Kim shot his first sub-par round since returning to professional golf at LIV Golf Jeddah after a nearly 12-year retirement.
Kim had seven birdies and two bogeys in shooting a 5-under 65 Sunday at LIV Golf Hong Kong in just his sixth round since his comeback. He finished at 3 over for the tournament after previous rounds of 76 and 72.
“I knew something good was coming,” said the 38-year-old Kim. “It's hard to stay patient when you feel like it's right there, and I'm really happy that it hasn't taken me one more round to get here. I'm just happy about the progress I'm making and the confidence I'm building going into the next few weeks.”
The most impressive part of his game thus far is his putting. Kim led the entire 54-man Hong Kong field in putting, and on Sunday he rolled in more than 150 feet of putts.
“The first two days I didn't feel like I made a lot of putts, but today I putted really well,” he said. “Saw the line well and just trusted my reads.”
Kim hopes to ride the momentum into the upcoming International Series Macau on the Asian Tour before his next LIV Golf start in Miami on April 5-7.
“It's just one round,” he said of his 65. “It's just one round of golf. But I played the right way. I played the right way, and I didn't do anything extraordinary. I just played like I know how to play.”
DOUBLE ACES: Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann, the individual points leader, added another highlight to his already impressive season with a hole-in-one at the 189-yard eighth. It’s the sixth hole-in-one of his career.
Cleeks GC’s Kalle Samooja soon followed with another ace at the 131-yard second. It’s the 10th hole-in-one of his career.
There have now been six aces in LIV Golf League history.
CAM’S POSITIVE STEP: Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith has started slowly this season, but left Hong Kong encouraged despite not coming away with the individual title.
“It was a step in the right direction this week,” said Smith, whose 4-under 66 got him into the playoff after he started the day six strokes back. “Played some really patient golf over the weekend. A lot different than the first few weeks.”
Smith was seeking to become the first LIV golfer to win four individual titles, but instead lost in a playoff for the second time. Last year in Tulsa, he was part of a three-man playoff won by Dustin Johnson.
Smith’s approach shot in the playoff landed in a greenside bunker, virtually giving him no chance once Ancer followed by knocking it close for an easy birdie.
“Just right in between numbers,” Smith explained about his approach. “Had to hit a perfect shot. That’s kind of the shot I’ve been struggling with.”
BRYSON ON CASEY: Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau and his teammate Paul Casey were in the same group Sunday, with both chasing Abraham Ancer. Casey shot 64 to make the playoff while DeChambeau shot 66 to miss out by two strokes.
“First of all, I'm super pissed I didn't beat him today,” DeChambeau said of Casey. “Second, I'm super proud of him for being tied for the lead and going down into a playoff. I had a chance today. I had so many lip-outs today, but that's the crazy dynamic about it.”
THE BUZZ IN HONG KONG: The big crowds at the historic Hong Kong Golf Club on Sunday made an impact on the players. Not even persistent rain late in the afternoon could dampen their spirits.
“It was incredible,” said individual winner Abraham Ancer. “Even when we were getting the trophy, it was pouring rain outside, and everybody was out there, which has been really nice. Everybody was extremely supportive.
“Every hole I felt like there was great energy. Today was pretty packed out there, and it was exciting. It was a privilege feeling those nerves throughout the round. That's kind of the way I looked at it. Tried to channel that into something positive.”
Said Paul Casey: “An absolute joy. It was a buzz. Adelaide is probably the one that we're all measuring things by, but Hong Kong should be very proud of themselves.”
SEASON’S BEST: Four teams had their best results of the season in Hong Kong. Torque GC finished second, and now has two podium finishes in the first four events (the team finished third in Mayakoba). Ripper GC finished on the podium for the first time this season in third place. Majesticks GC finished fourth, bouncing back from a last-place finish in Jeddah. Cleeks GC finished an encouraging fifth, and even held the lead for an extended time early in Sunday’s round.
JOACO STRETCHES LEAD: Joaquin Niemann increased his lead in the individual points standings with a tie for fourth in Hong Kong. He now has 97 points and is nearly 40 points ahead of No. 2 Jon Rahm. With a tie for second, Paul Casey moved to fourth in points while Hong Kong winner Abraham Ancer is now fifth.
ROUND 3 STATS LEADERS
Driving accuracy: Joaquin Niemann, Louis Oosthuizen, Dustin Johnson, Marc Leishman, 92.86% (13 of 14 fairways hit)
Driving distance: Bryson DeChambeau, 330.2 yards avg.
Longest drive: Bryson DeChambeau, 382.9 yards, 11th hole
Greens in regulation: Sam Horsfield, 94.44% (17 of 18 greens)
Putting: Anthony Kim, 1.28 putts per hole
TOURNAMENT STATS LEADERS
Driving accuracy: Kevin Na, Marc Leishman, 83.33% (35 of 42 fairways hit)
Driving distance: Bryson DeChambeau, 336.9 yards avg.
Longest drive: Bryson DeChambeau, 382.9 yards, 11th hole, Rd. 3
Greens in regulation: Paul Casey, Carlos Ortiz, Kevin Na, Richard Bland, Sam Horsfield, 81.48% (44 of 54 greens)
Putting: Anthony Kim, 1.39 putts per hole