August 24, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Tyrrell Hatton of Legion XIII and Bryson DeChambeau of Crushers GC watch Jon Rahm of Legion Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Image Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm are among four players tied for the lead at 4 under par after the opening round of LIV Golf Singapore on Thursday, but the lead can never feel comfortable.
England’s Lee Westwood and LIV wild card Canadian Richard Lee also shot a 68 in the first round, beating seven players tied for 5th and 10 players tied for 12th with two backs, one stroke ahead.
Golfers had to contend with hot and windy conditions at Sentosa Golf Club, and DeChambeau said “staying competitive up the leaderboard is the main goal – hitting better iron shots, better drivers and being comfortable on uncomfortable holes.”
Despite having players under 30, the course was made more difficult by the wind. Only two golfers had bogey-free rounds.
“There’s a lot of trouble out there,” Westwood said. “You don’t have to be out of position much to get tricky. You can definitely have success in the rough. The rough isn’t that long, but it flies wild. You lose a lot of control over the golf ball.
“But the condition of the golf course is unbelievable. The greens aren’t the best I’ve ever seen, but they’re certainly the best you’ll find anywhere, let alone Asia. There’s no excuse for missing a putt on these greens. If you start on the line, it actually stays on line and stays there.”
He was satisfied with a bogey-free round.
“I started the first round last week without a bogey. It’s actually good practice to go into the first round without a bogey,” he said. “But this week I felt better because the golf course was so hard.”
Rahm, who had five birdies and one bogey in a 68, said putting and accuracy will be key this week.
“This golf course is not easy. The greens are firm. They’re very good. They roll great,” Rahm said. “So if you feel good on the putter, you can have a lot of good opportunities. But it’s not easy. You have to hit the fairway and hit the mid-iron really accurately.”
Lee won the LIV promotion in January, earning one of three wild card spots in the league this season. The best finish in wildcard history is T12.
“Things may change this week,” he said. “I mean, I’ve played this course a number of times on the Asian Tour, and I think knowing where the slopes are and where to miss gives me a bit of an advantage on this course. I think it’s going to be a good week.”
The group, one step behind after round 69, includes South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, Great Britain’s Tyrrell Hatton and Charles Howell III.
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann won by five strokes in Singapore last season. On Thursday, he was among a group of 10 golfers who shot 70 and were two strokes off the lead. The group also includes Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin, Australia’s Cameron Smith and Anthony Kim, who won last month’s LIV Golf Australia.
In team competition, Rahm’s Legion XIII is at 11 under par based on his play and the scores of McKibbin and Hatton. DeChambeau’s Crushers GC is six strokes behind and 5 under par.
–Field level media
