Marc Leishman, Australian golf’s Mr Nice Guy, led the local charge on the opening day of LIV Adelaide as Cameron Smith rebounded from a horror start at Grange Golf Club on Thursday.
Despite a huge refresh of Ripper GC over the off-season with the signing of 23-year-old Elvis Smylie, the all-Australian team’s oldest member in Leishman led the way with a six-under 66, to top the leaderboard alongside Bryson DeChambeau.
While the future of DeChambeau remains a sensitive topic in world golf – he’s off contract with the Saudi-backed league at the end of the year – the two-time major winner flexed his muscle despite a comical drive on the 10th hole which will live long on blooper reels.
Smith’s Ripper GC has tasted team success at LIV Adelaide in 2024, but none of its players has really threatened a crowd-pleasing individual win.
But Leishman has given himself a chance after seamlessly plotting his way around a blustery Grange Golf Club with the only bogey-free round of the day.
“I’ve never seen an Australian win an individual title in Australia at a LIV event, which I think would be pretty special,” Leishman said.
“Obviously, I was a part of the team win in 2024, and that felt like winning a major for me. It was pretty awesome to have so many people that were equally as happy to celebrate with.
“(But) I think an Australian winning here would be massive, and it would feel different.”
While Leishman scored a sentimental win in the Victorian PGA Championship last December – in which son Harvey was his Pro-Am partner for the first three days and dad Paul acted as his caddie – the 42-year-old is still hunting a top-level win in Australia.
He might not have a better chance than this week.
Former world No.2 Smith could be well pleased with his efforts after a nightmarish beginning as he made bogey on each of his opening three holes.
But he quickly steadied himself and clawed his way slowly back up the leaderboard to finish with an even par 72. He’s tied 33rd in the 57-man field, but with time on his side after LIV changed its format this year to 72 holes rather than its traditional 54.
Elvis Smylie, who spectacularly won on his LIV Golf debut at Riyadh last week, signed for a one-under 71, the same score as Lucas Herbert.
A couple of 40-somethings in ex-world No.1 Dustin Johnson and Anthony Kim, who only returned to professional golf a couple of years ago after more than a decade away from the sport, were tied second with five-under 67s.
“My goals are the same as they were when I first joined LIV,” Kim said. “It’s to get one per cent better every day, stay sober, enjoy time with my family, and whatever happens happens, because all I can do is try my best.
“I think what I’m doing better is using my experience and my age to my advantage on the golf course. I’m more patient out there. Do I want to break 12 clubs some rounds? Absolutely. But I’m focusing on the next shot.”
Jon Rahm also threatened to break a club at one stage after a wild second shot on the 13th hole, but kept his head to lead a quartet of players at four-under, including defending champion Joaquin Niemann.
ONE OF US!
Bryson DeChambeau, he’s really one of us.
How else do you explain one of the most laughable shots in LIV Golf’s short history, when the sport’s big bomber scuffed a drive off the tee any weekend hacker would have been red faced over?
It didn’t get off the ground, bounded over a concrete path and then rested miles short of where one of his normal drives would have been launched.
The lesson? Golf is bloody hard, even for the very best.
“Oh yeah, it was a great line drive into the tee box and bounced it off the cart path,” DeChambeau joked at LIV Golf Adelaide on Thursday. “I had a nice scuff mark.”
But while it might have rattled others, the two-time major champion and one of the sport’s most popular figures stepped up to his second shot and rifled a three wood from 287 metres onto the green.
He made two putts to secure his birdie and then tore up the rest of the back nine to join Australia’s Marc Leishman (66) atop the leaderboard after the opening day Grange Golf Club.
At least DeChambeau, dubbed the mad scientist for his physics-heavy approach to the game, could smile about it a bit later.
“Last time I did that was 2021 Players Championship off the fourth tee box and it cost me The Players,” DeChambeau said. “I’ve done it before.
“But that shot was more of a thin shot. I just hit too far down on the ball. I actually struck it nicely. It was a perfect strike right into the tee box. It was awesome. Got to make sure I don’t hit it with too negative an attack angle next time.”
What is no laughing matter is whether the social media phenomenon, who films videos with celebrities such as United States President Donald Trump, NBA legend Steph Curry and actor Adam Sandler, will hang around with LIV Golf beyond this year.
DeChambeau remains off contract at the end of the year and with the recent defections of Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed to the PGA Tour, his currency has never been higher.
There’s been little indication from the American this week about his intentions, but along with Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith, he’s already turned down an offer of an immediate return to the PGA Tour.
The trio had a deadline of February 2 to accept the same sanctions as Koepka.
Playing alongside hometown favourite Smith and Rahm, DeChambeau stole the show late in the round with a raw display of power, lashing his drives on the 15th, 17th and 18th holes to set up birdies.
On each he executed short pitches and managed to roll in the birdie putts.
“I kept staying patient,” DeChambeau said. “I knew the back nine was gettable if I just hit some good wedges. Fortunately, I was able to do that, and didn’t capitalise on a couple areas, but six-under out here with these conditions, I’ll take that any day.”