ROUND 1 NEWS AND NOTES: DEALING WITH THE HEAT IN SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE – Torque GC’s Sebastián Muñoz took the first-round lead at LIV Golf Singapore, but there were plenty of other news, notes and stats from Friday at Sentosa Golf Club:
RELATED: Full First-Round Recap of LIV Golf Singapore
DEALING WITH THE HEAT. The hot, humid weather in Singapore will definitely test – both physically and mentally – the 54 players in this week’s field.
Some players, like first-round leader Sebastián Muñoz of Torque GC, hope to use it to their advantage. He was one of the few players not to wear shorts in the first round.
“The main thing is that you've got to stay hydrated,” Muñoz said. “You've got to stay calm. Your heart kind of beats a little harder, stronger. I felt like the sweat kind of helps me, helps me hit it a little further, which kind of gives me a little boost in confidence.”
Brooks Koepka, who has won twice in the heat at LIV Golf Jeddah, finished his round, cooled off … and then went for a workout.
“You know it's going to be hot,” the Smash GC captain said. “It's all about your prep going into it and what you're doing the night before. I've got that handled.”
BROOKS’ BIRTHDAY: Koepka turned 34 on Friday, celebrating his first birthday since becoming a father last year. His wife Jena and their son Crew are in town to help him celebrate. Nothing huge was planned.
“I'm very boring in the weeks that I play,” Koepka said. “Try to go back, try to see if I can hang out with Jena and Crew for a bit, but I'll be kind of busy. We're just going to go out to dinner tonight, and that's it.”
DRIVER SWITCH FOR PIETERS: Big-hitting Belgium star Thomas Pieters recently switched his driver, and he credits the equipment change for his improved play.
“I was struggling – I couldn't find a driver that had enough spin for me,” Pieters said. “Might sound weird. My misses are better, so they kind of hug the right side of the fairway or kind of find the rough, whereas I would just lose balls before, and that's not ideal.”
RIPPERS A WEEK LATER: After an emotional win in LIV Golf’s first team playoff in front of their home fans in Australia, Ripper GC appeared to be avoiding the hangover Friday … until some late miscues.
Marc Leishman was tied for first with one hole left before suffering a double bogey that resulted in a 4-under 67, leaving him tied for eighth.
Captain Cameron Smith was one under on his round before a bogey on his next-to-last hole.
The team’s newest member, Lucas Herbert, matched Leishman’s 67 in a rollercoaster round that included seven birdies and three bogeys.
Matt Jones’ 74, which included two double bogeys, did not count for the team.
The Rippers are tied for seventh, just three strokes behind the leaders.
RARE OFF-DAY FOR CRUSHERS: The current team points leaders, Crushers GC, finished the first round tied for last place with Majesticks GC with a counting score of 1 over.
Paul Casey had the team’s best score with a 2-under 69, and Anirban Lahiri also broke par with a 70. But captain Bryson DeChambeau shot a 2-over 73 – the highest counting score by any player on Friday – and Charles Howell III shot a non-counting score of 76.
Both DeChambeau and Howell immediately went to the practice green after their rounds.
ROUND 1 STATS LEADERS
Driving accuracy: Louis Oosthuizen, 92.86.% (13 of 14 fairways hit)
Driving distance: Joaquin Niemann, 330.4 yards avg.
Longest drive: Joaquin Niemann, 345.4 yards, 5th hole
Greens in regulation: Abraham Ancer, Dustin Johnson, Joaquin Niemann, Matthew Wolff, 88.89% (16 of 18 greens)
Scrambling: Graeme McDowell (6 of 6), Jon Rahm (6 of 6), Scott Vincent (6 of 6), Paul Casey (4 of 4), Brooks Koepka (4 of 4), Thomas Pieters (3 of 3), Adrian Meronk (3 of 3), Matthew Wolff (2 of 2), 100%
Putting: Marc Leishman, 1.33 putts per hole
Bogey-free rounds: Thomas Pieters (66), Adrian Meronk (67), Graeme McDowell (68), Scott Vincent (70)