Patrick Reed and Harold Varner III grabbed the first-round lead at LIV Golf Dallas, each firing 5-under 67s on Friday at Maridoe Golf Club.
Reed’s round featured an eagle on the massive 655-yard, par-5 second hole, complemented by four birdies against a single bogey. Varner, who’s Reed’s teammate on the 4Aces squad, carded six birdies but stumbled with a bogey on his final hole.
Jon Rahm sits just one shot back after posting a solid 68. Abraham Ancer is two off the pace following his 69, while Dustin Johnson headlines a group at 70 that includes Graeme McDowell, Anirban Lahiri, Richard Bland and David Puig.
Bryson DeChambeau, a Dallas resident and SMU alum, couldn’t quite get things going on his home turf, settling for a 72. It’s a score he’ll need to improve on to contend this weekend.
Points leader Joaquin Niemann had a day to forget. Fresh off his victory at LIV Golf Virginia, the Chilean stumbled to a 78 that included a disastrous 10 on the par-5 seventh hole.
Brooks Koepka withdrew during his round due to illness. Before departing, his frustration was evident when he smashed a tee marker with his driver at the ninth hole.
