Teammates Patrick Reed and Harold Varner III fed off each other in the all-4Aces GC group during Friday’s first round of LIV Golf Dallas presented by Aramco.
They hope to do the same on Saturday.
Reed and Varner each shot 5-under 67s at Maridoe Golf Club to emerge as co-leaders on the individual leaderboard while also fuelling the 4Aces to the commanding advantage in the team competition.
Graeme McDowell continued his good form on the Saudi backed tour with a fine round of two-under 70 to sit just three shots off the pace and he looks to be in fine fettle heading to Final Qualifying for the 153rd Open Championship at Portrush on Tuesday.
Tom McKibbin has no such worries with his place already secured in the field next month and a one-under 71 was more like it for the 22-year-old.
It was a dominating day for the 4Aces, with captain Dustin Johnson contributing a 2-under 70 that included chip-ins for a birdie and an eagle on his first two holes. It was the kind of performance reminiscent of the 4Aces’ dominance during the inaugural 2022 LIV Golf season when they won four consecutive regular-season tournaments, then claimed the season-ending Team Championship.
The 4Aces won twice in 2023 but nothing since then, and their only individual win was Johnson’s victory last year. Friday’s fast start presents an opportunity to reinforce their status as one of the league’s big dogs.
At 9 under as a team, they’re six shots ahead of Crushers GC, who have won the last two tournaments and have the hometown support with captain Bryson DeChambeau being a local resident. The Crushers were the only team Friday in which all four players shot par or better.
“The biggest thing is keep the throttle down,” said Reed, among the league’s best players without a LIV Golf win. “Even though we have a lead now, start tomorrow as if everyone is even par and try to go win the day as a team and build on the lead.”
On a course that became more difficult throughout the day, Varner had the only bogey-free round through 17 holes. Although his tee shot on his last hole, the par-4 ninth, left him with an awkward lie, he managed to find the green – but then three-putted for the only blemish on his card. Even so, it was his best round, relative to par, this season.
“I’ve been hitting it unbelievable this whole year and I just happened to make a couple of putts today,” said Varner, who has six top-20 finishes this year. “I don’t think there’s like a genie in a bottle or anything like that. But I felt like I was going to play well.”
Reed’s round was highlighted by a chip-in eagle at the par-5 second, allowing him to keep up with Varner in a threesome that also included 4Aces teammate Thomas Pieters, the team’s leading points producer this season who shot a 3-over 75.
“Harold is out there playing some solid golf, hitting some quality golf shots,” said Reed, who has five top-three finishes in his LIV Golf career. “It’s always nice when you’re seeing that because you can feed off of it. … Obviously it was a bonus chipping in there for eagle.”
Varner didn’t even think the eagle was his teammate’s best chip of the day. He cited Reed’s third shot at the par-5 13th from an awkward lie out of the greenside rough 30 yards from the pin.
“He chips it, somehow shimmies it through the rough, misses the bunker and it goes to four feet – and he misses the putt,” Varner said with a smile. “But it was the best chip, best shot I saw. It will be the best shot in all of golf on this golf course this week, without a doubt.”
The closest pursuer to the individual co-leaders is Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm, whose 4-under 68 included an eagle at the drivable par-4 sixth. His strong iron play allowed him to overcome an off-day with his driver, as he hit just five fairways.
Fireballs GC’s Abraham Ancer is solo fourth; he had a share of the lead until a double bogey on his final hole left him shooting 69. His seven total birdies Friday led the field.
“Definitely hurts to finish the way I finished with a double bogey, obviously,” Ancer said. “Just felt like I just lost a little bit of concentration on that par 3. … Other than that, I felt great.”
Reed, Varner and Rahm will be in the final group off the first tee Saturday. Rahm has been the league’s most consistent player since joining LIV Golf prior to last season but is looking to start turning his top 10s into wins. Meanwhile, Reed and Varner are hoping to turn this weekend into a 4Aces party.
“The team camaraderie in the locker room, I think we’re having a lot of fun,” Varner said. “Maybe too much fun.”
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