2022 LIV Golf in Boston leaderboard: Matthew Wolff, Talor Gooch share lead after opening rounds of 63

The fourth LIV Golf occasion obtained underway Friday on the Oaks Course at The International exterior Boston, Massachusetts. After occupying headlines during the last week for buying world No. 2 Cameron Smith, 23-year-old Joaquin Niemann and a quantity of different names, the LIV Golf occasion in Boston obtained off to an exhilarating begin.

The new additions to LIV made an instantaneous impression — which we’ll contact on — however the day belonged to Matthew Wolff. Playing in his third LIV Golf occasion after making his debut in Portland, Wolff carried the shape he discovered in the ultimate spherical of the LIV Golf occasion in Bedminster into the Boston space.

Starting his spherical with an ace on the par-3 2nd, Wolff tacked on two birdies to wrap up his preliminary 9 holes in 4 below. With three extra birdies and an eagle on the par-5 twelfth, the 23-year-old got here residence in 3 below to signal for a primary spherical 7-under 63. 

Winning in one of his first begins on the PGA Tour, Wolff has since been shutout on the skilled stage in phrases of victories. With shut calls at a pair of U.S. Opens, he ought to really feel snug in the pole place heading into the weekend. Holding the co-lead alongside Talor Gooch, the 2 personal a slim one-stroke edge over Smith and Niemann and must cope with main championship winners Louis Oosthuizen and Dustin Johnson.

The leaders

T1. Matthew Wolff and Talor Gooch (-7) 

It has been a bumpy couple of years for Wolff, who has struggled in the skilled setting since ending runner as much as Bryson DeChambeau on the 2020 U.S. Open. Battling demons each on and off the golf course, Wolff is lastly coming into his personal, and his first spherical was indicative of such. Carding a complete of six birdies, an eagle and a hole-in-one, the California native’s firepower was on show and might be wanted over the weekend if he’s to fend off a hungry pack.

While Wolff might be as unstable as they arrive, Gooch has been ever regular in his brief LIV Golf profession. He is one of two gamers to seize top-10 finishes in every of the primary three LIV Golf occasions and one of the very best in the world from tee to inexperienced. A member of the 4 Aces GC, Gooch has tasted victory in the team-portion of LIV in the final two occasions and can now try so as to add a trophy of his personal to his mantle.

Other contenders

T3. Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann (-6)

T5. Kevin Na, Bernd Wiesberger, Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri (-5)

Smith and Niemann seemed sturdy, however the inclusion of Casey on this leaderboard is kind of fascinating. After ending in third on the Players Championship in March, the Englishman struggled with harm, typically withdrawing simply earlier than the onset of tournaments on the PGA Tour. 

Finally returning to full well being, Casey’s ball-striking might permit him to compete with some of the youthful gamers on the LIV Golf circuit. Wily veterans have confirmed profitable in the primary three tournaments of LIV Golf and Casey seems to be effectively on his solution to including one other trophy for the “old guys.”

First-round chief makes LIV Golf historical past

In solely the fourth occasion in league historical past, the primary ace has formally been made. Wolff related on the par-3 2nd from 178 yards to be the primary LIV Golf member to perform such a feat in competitors. The former Oklahoma State standout carried the momentum from his closing spherical of 7 below at LIV Golf Bedminster into the identical rating in his opener in Boston. The hole-in-one performed an important position in his first spherical as he makes an attempt to lock down the second skilled victory of his younger profession.

Smith, Niemann decide up the place they left off

The two greatest signings in the newest wave of LIV Golf acquisitions impressed in their debuts. Sitting at 6 below and only one stroke off the lead of Wolff, the 2 males who lately made the soar from the PGA Tour will hope to observe in the footsteps of different debutants to win, equivalent to Charl Schwartzel and Henrik Stenson, who received in their first LIV Golf outings.

Team leaderboard