Carlos Ortiz leads Dustin Johnson by one shot after first round at LIV Portland
Follow all the action as Dustin Johnson and Carlos Ortiz take a share of the lead into the final round of the second LIV Golf event.
Johnson carded eight birdies in a round of 68 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland, Oregon yesterday as the former world No 1 looks to snatch the eye-watering £3.25m top prize. Ortiz, one of the Saudi-backed breakaway’s newest recruits, shot a 69 to ensure he joined Johnson at the top of the leaderboard on eight-under-par. Their closest challenger comes in the form of Branden Grace, who is two shots back. Fellow South African Justin Harding starts one shot further adrift at five-under-par, while Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed are still in with an outside chance as they start four shots off the lead.
One man certainly not poised to make a charge is Phil Mickelson, who has endured another torrid week after his calamitous performance at the US Open. The 52-year-old is six-over-par but will be back in action since LIV Golf events do not feature a cut. In the team event, 4 Aces GC, who are captained by Johnson, lead on -15. The all-South African Stingers GC team, who won at Centurion Club last month, start in second. Follow all the action below:
LIV Golf Portland
It’s been a disappointing day for DeChambeau, who is two over for his round, but the American makes absolute mincemeat of the par-5 17th, fading in what only looked like a short iron and he will now have a great eagle chance.
Tom Kershaw3 July 2022 00:44
LIV Golf Portland
Johnson moves to -9! After missing two birdie chances, he gets the putter working at the par-3 12th and the two-time major champion is now just one off the lead.
Tom Kershaw3 July 2022 00:40
LIV Golf Portland
Johnson misreads his birdie putt, again giving it too much credit on the high side, and just like at 11, Grace got a perfect look from behind. This time though the South African’s own effort just runs out of speed and dies away from the hole at the end. Ortiz’s lead stays at one.
Tom Kershaw3 July 2022 00:27
LIV Golf Portland
Grace steps up onto the 11th tee and flares his drive way right. He gets free relief though and is able to fade his approach around a tree and the ball just trickles onto the front of the green. It’s a great escape and he, Johnson and Ortiz will all have a similar length for birdie.
Tom Kershaw3 July 2022 00:22
LIV Golf Portland
Oosthuizen has birdied three of his last four holes to move to -7, three shots back.
Back at 10, all three players in the final group have found the green. Ortiz and Johnson make their pars but Grace got a great read off the latter’s effort and rolls in for his birdie. The South African moves to -9 and is now just one shot off the lead.
Tom Kershaw3 July 2022 00:08
LIV Golf Portland
After missing a short one on the last hole, Ortiz holds his nerve to save par at 9. He makes the turn in 35 but what was at one stage a four-shot lead has been cut down to two by Johnson and Grace.
Tom Kershaw2 July 2022 23:53
LIV Golf Portland
Patrick Reed is two-under for his round so far but a birdie chance sails by at 11 and he remains four shots off the lead.
The lowest round in progress so far is coming from Phachara Khongwatmai. The 23-year-old is four-under through 10 holes, which is quite the turnaround, having shot 77 and 75 on Thursday and Friday respectively.
Tom Kershaw2 July 2022 23:50
LIV Golf Portland
Grace drives the green at the 330-yard 8th and two putts for birdie. He moves to -8 and is quickly joined at that mark by Johnson, who stiffed his approach to just a few feet. Ortiz can only make par and the lead is now only two.
Tom Kershaw2 July 2022 23:35
LIV Golf Portland
There’s the first chink in Ortiz’s armour. He pulls a short putt to save par at the 7th and slips back to -10. Johnson has almost an identical putt for birdie, knows the line and rolls it confidently into the middle of the hole. Ortiz still has a three-shot lead but there were signs of nerves there from the Mexican and that’s a big momentum shift.
Tom Kershaw2 July 2022 23:23
Tom Kershaw2 July 2022 23:16
