In a moment that sent shockwaves through the golfing world, Patrick Reed ignited the party at LIV Golf Adelaide with an electrifying hole-in-one on the infamous 12th hole, known as the Watering Hole. As the sixth tee shot of the opening round on Friday, Reed’s ace immediately had the raucous crowd showering him with drinks in celebration.
The stunning shot marked only the second hole-in-one at the Watering Hole in LIV Golf’s four-year history in Adelaide, following Chase Koepka’s ace in 2023. Despite the early fireworks, Reed struggled to maintain momentum, ultimately carding a disappointing three-over 75 in the first round.
Horsfield Gallops to Early Lead
While Reed stole the spotlight with his incredible ace, it was Sam Horsfield who set the pace in round one. The 28-year-old Englishman fired a blemish-free six-under 66 to claim the outright lead at The Grange.
Horsfield, who got hot with three birdies in a four-hole stretch midway through his round, holds a one-stroke advantage over Chile’s Joaquin Niemann and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz. Major champions Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau are lurking just two shots back.
Aussie Favorites Falter
Despite the fervent support of the home crowd, the Australian quartet of Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, and Lucas Herbert largely failed to fire on day one. Herbert was the best of the bunch at one-under, while Smith struggled to an even-par 72.
The atmosphere out there was incredible, but I just couldn’t get anything going today. Hopefully we can turn it around and give the fans something to really cheer about.
– Cam Smith
Big Names in the Hunt
While Horsfield holds the early advantage, a host of star-studded names are within striking distance heading into the weekend:
- Brooks Koepka: 3-under
- Jon Rahm: 2-under
- Bubba Watson: 2-under
- Sergio Garcia: 1-under
- Phil Mickelson: Even par
Team Competition Heats Up
In the closely contested team competition, Torque GC has surged to an early 11-stroke lead over defending champions Ripper GC. The trio of Ortiz, Niemann, and Horsfield have combined for an impressive 8-under total.
As the action shifts to the weekend, all eyes will be on Reed to see if he can channel the magic of his opening hole heroics and make a charge up the leaderboard. With a tightly packed field and no shortage of firepower, the stage is set for a thrilling finish at LIV Golf Adelaide.
