Round 1 Greenbrier News and Notes: Muñoz eyes lock zone
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. – Plenty of big names have gathered at the top of the LIV Golf Greenbrier leaderboard after Round 1, and there were plenty of other news notes and stats from Friday.
RELATED: Gooch, Kokrak, Muñoz share lead; Smash sets pace on team leaderboard
MUÑOZ EYES LOCK ZONE: Torque GC’s Sebastián Muñoz entered this week ranked 25th in season-long points. That means he’s on the outside looking in for the top 24 players who finish in the Lock Zone and are guaranteed spots for the 2025 LIV Golf League season.
On Friday, he not only grabbed a share of the league with a 7-under 63, he also made his intentions clear – he wants to finish inside the Lock Zone.
“Yeah, a big week here, a big result would put me in, and just kind of own my own destiny, which is always nice,” Muñoz said. “That’s a big motivator. Looking forward for the rest of the week.”
Muñoz opened his round with a bogey at the par-4 seventh, but play was soon suspended for 80 minutes due to heavy rains. When Muñoz returned, he birdied the ninth hole and then hit a hot stretch in which he produced five birdies in six holes.
“Ball-striking was great,” said Muñoz, who is searching for his first individual LIV Golf title. “I was in the fairway a lot. I was on the greens a lot. I gave myself three really close putts for birdie, which is always nice, and just rolled it.”
INDIVIDUAL RACE UPDATE: Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann opened with a 3-under 67 in his quest to clinch the 2024 Individual Championship this week.
Niemann is tied for 20th, while his main pursuer, Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm, is tied for fourth after shooting 64.
If Niemann wins this week, Rahm would have to finish second to keep the race alive entering the final week of the regular season in Chicago.
Rahm, who won LIV Golf’s previous tournament in UK, is focusing on simply winning a second consecutive event.
“Still a long way to go before thinking of the individual championship,” he said.
DECHAMBEAU OPENS WITH ANOTHER 68: A year ago, Bryson DeChambeau shot an opening 2-under 68 at Greenbrier. He followed with an historic 61-58 weekend to win his first LIV Golf individual title.
DeChambeau duplicated his first-round score with a 68 on Friday, leaving him tied for 24th on the leaderboard. He was tied for 25th after his opening round last year.
ONE-BOGEY TEAMS: Smash GC and Ripper GC each suffered just one bogey across their lineups Friday.
Smash’s Talor Gooch (64), Brooks Koepka (64) and John Catlin (66) had bogey-free rounds while Jason Kokrak (63) recorded the team’s only bogey.
Rippers’ Matt Jones (64), Lucas Herbert (65) and Marc Leishman (65) played bogey-free golf in the same group, with Captain Cameron Smith (66) making the only bogey. Leishman was returning to action after withdrawing at LIV Golf UK by JCB due to appendicitis.
In all, 11 players Friday recorded bogey-free rounds while just nine players finished with rounds over par.
CAMPBELL IN FOR MAJESTICKS: Reserve player Ben Campbell of New Zealand replaced Majesticks GC’s Sam Horsfield, who withdrew prior to Friday’s round with a foot injury. Campbell, currently second on the Asian Tour’s International Series standings, is making his third LIV Golf appearance as a reserve this season, but his first as a starter. He shot a 1-over 71.
Horsfield is currently on the bubble in LIV Golf’s season-long standings, ranking 24th in points.
HOWELL RETURNS: Crushers GC’s Charles Howell III made his first start after missing the previous four tournaments with a leg injury. He shot a 1-over 73.
ROUND 2 TEE TIME MOVED UP: Due to the potential for inclement weather, the shotgun start time for Saturday’s second round has been moved up two hours to 11:15 a.m. EDT. Parking lots will open at 8:30 a.m. with gates opening at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. The Fan Village will remain open for one hour following the completion of play.
Live second round coverage will be available on LIVGolf+, with coverage on The CW beginning at 1 p.m. EDT.
ROUND 1 STATS LEADERS
Driving accuracy: Lucas Herbert, 100% (14 of 14 fairways hit)
Driving distance: Dean Burmester, 340.7 yards avg.
Longest drive: Carlos Ortiz, 367.6 yards, 10th hole
Greens in regulation: Talor Gooch, Marc Leishman, Joaquin Niemann, 100% (18 of 18 greens)
Scrambling: Matt Jones (5 of 5), Mito Pereira (5 of 5), Lucas Herbert (4 of 4), Abraham Ancer (4 of 4), Brooks Koepka (3 of 3), Jon Rahm (3 of 3), Richard Bland (3 of 3), John Catlin (3 of 3), Henrik Stenson (3 of 3), Sergio Garcia (3 of 3), Danny Lee (3 of 3), Eugenio Chacarra (3 of 3), Caleb Surratt (2 of 2), 100%
Putting: Matt Jones, 1.39 putts per hole
Bogey-free rounds: Talor Gooch (63), Matt Jones (64), Brooks Koepka (64), Jon Rahm (64), Richard Bland (64), Lucas Herbert (65), Marc Leishman (65), John Catlin (66), Henrik Stenson (66), Joaquin Niemann (67), Eugenio Chacarra (68)