LIV Chicago: Brooks Koepka shoots 62 to take early lead; Anirban third

Brooks Koepka fired a flawless 8-under-par 62 to take a commanding four-stroke lead after one round of LIV Golf Chicago on Friday at Bolingbrook Golf Club in Illinois.

Koepka started his round on the third hole and saved his best for last, birdieing five of his final six holes — Nos. 15, 16, 18, 1 and 2. His mid-length birdie at the 16th hole gave him the outright lead at 5 under par before he built his cushion with the late hot streak.

Paul Casey of England is alone in second at 4-under 66, and Casey’s Crushers GC teammate, Anirban Lahiri of India, is third at 3-under 67.

Despite finishing the day with eight birdies and no bogeys, Koepka said he didn’t feel he struck the ball well for the first seven holes.

“I don’t know how many fairways (I made) — the stats probably weren’t good, but (the misses) were on the correct side of the hole, which helped,” Koepka said.

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“Putted really good. Felt like I was finally making some putts with the correct speed, and it was the best putting day I’ve had in a long time.”

No one has won more individual titles on the nascent LIV Golf circuit than Koepka, who captured his fifth overall and his second of the year last month at LIV Golf Greenbrier. LIV Golf Chicago is the final event before the team championship next week outside Dallas.

“Just playing good, I guess. You go on runs, and unfortunately mine has come at the end when we’re not playing much golf,” Koepka said.

While Koepka may pad his win total at the end of the weekend, more of the focus will be on the showdown between Spaniard Jon Rahm and Chilean Joaquin Niemann, who are duking it out for the 2024 LIV title. Rahm, in his first year with LIV, entered Chicago with a narrow 2.97-point edge on Niemann in the season standings.

Round 1 went to Niemann, though, as he opened with a 2-under 68 (overcoming a double bogey at the par-4 15th), while Rahm shot 1-under 69.

“It’s always nice to play with Jon,” said Niemann, who spent Friday’s round with Rahm but won’t be paired with him Saturday. “I’m going to miss him. But no, we had a few rounds together. I enjoyed playing with him. It’s one of those, maybe on Sunday we might get together.”

Crushers took a four-shot lead in the team competition thanks to Casey, Lahiri and captain Bryson DeChambeau (2-under 68), who combined to score 9 under par Friday. 4Aces GC and Smash GC are tied for second at 5 under.

Crushers also leads the season standings by a half-point over Rahm’s Legion XIII entering the week.