The tournament kicked off LIV Golf's second
season at El Camaleon, a course designed by LIV CEO Greg Norman.
It is LIV's first foray into Mexico and its first time staging a
tournament on a course that has hosted PGA Tour events.
Kokrak and Casey hold a two-shot lead over Peter Uihlein, Talor
Gooch and Mexico's Carlos Ortiz, who shot 4-under 67.
Kokrak and Casey shot their 65s in very different ways. Kokrak
poured in six birdies, including a chip-in, and stayed
bogey-free.
"With my type of game, I don't always get the chance to have a
bogey-free round," Kokrak said.
Casey, meanwhile, started his round with a birdie at the par-4
sixth and was 5 under before taking a double bogey at the par-4
second hole. He bounced back by finishing his round with three
consecutive birdies at Nos. 3-5.
Gooch was the only other player to go bogey-free Friday.
Dustin Johnson, last season's individual champion and the
captain of the defending team champion 4Aces, is tied for sixth
at 3-under 68 with Charles Howell III, England's Ian Poulter,
Australia's Marc Leishman and South Africa's Branden Grace.
LIV's highest-ranked player, world No. 5 Cameron Smith of
Australia, is alone in 11th at 2-under 69.
Casey and Howell helped Crushers take the team lead at 10 under
through one round. India's Anirban Lahiri contributed a 1-under
70. The top three scores for each four-man team count for each
round of the team score. Crushers captain Bryson DeChambeau was
the odd man out for his team after opening with a 1-over 72 that
included a double bogey-bogey-bogey stretch.
Crushers have a three shot lead over Johnson's 4Aces and Brooks
Koepka's Smash, each at 7 under. 4Aces got contributions from
Johnson, Uihlein and Pat Perez (even-par 71), and Smash featured
Kokrak, Koepka (even) and Matthew Wolff (1 under).
--Field Level Media
[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.![](column_spacer.png) |
|