Englishman, runner-up in 2024, shoots 7-under-par 63 on Friday in Fanling
BY LIV GOLF STAFF
HONG KONG – Paul Casey enjoys being a global golfer, and in his professional career, he’s won 21 events in 13 different countries. But he’s never won in Hong Kong.
That could change this weekend after Casey grabbed the first-round lead at LIV Golf Hong Kong, firing a bogey-free 7-under 63 while leading the defending tournament champion Crushers GC to a share of the team leaderboard with Torque GC at Hong Kong Golf Club.
“I’ve always been a global traveler and enjoyed the challenge of trying to tick another country off on the win list,” said the 47-year-old Englishman. “It’s something that always kind of excited me, to win around golf courses with history that are iconic. So, you can be assured that I’m trying very hard this week because I’d love to add this one to the list.”
Casey almost added it last year, making the three-man playoff eventually won by Fireballs GC’s Abraham Ancer. Casey was knocked out after making a bogey on the par-4 18th playoff hole, and he was staring at bogey on that hole again Friday after finding the water with his approach shot.
But after saving par by holing his chip shot, he finished his round with three birdies in his last seven holes
“It’s got our full respect every time we play it,” Casey said about the 18th. “So to find the water, take a drop and chip in for par was huge.”
Casey enters Saturday’s second round with a two-shot lead over six players: captains Sergio Garcia (Fireballs) and Martin Kaymer (Cleeks GC), along with Peter Uihlein (RangeGoats GC), Luis Masaveu (Fireballs), Sebastián Muñoz (Torque) and Wild Card player Chieh-Po Lee, the LIV Golf Promotions winner from Chinese Taipei.
The two Wild Card spots were added to the LIV Golf League lineup last season. Lee’s position on the leaderboard is the best position for a Wild Card player after any round.
Lee failed to finish inside the top 40 in either of his first two LIV Golf starts, but he returned home and told himself that he needed a change in mindset going into this week. It helps that Hong Kong Golf Club is a familiar course him as a previous member of the Asian Tour.
“Today, I just felt more comfortable, not like the first two events,” Lee said.
Muñoz nearly grabbed the first LIV Golf individual win of his career in the season opener in Riyadh. He eventually tied for second but did not maintain that form the following week in Adelaide, finishing 45th.
He started Friday’s round with a bogey on the 15th hole before reeling off five consecutive birdies starting with the par-4 17th.
“Even though I started with a bogey, with a three-putt, I didn't let it bother me,” Muñoz said. “I just gave myself chances and made the first one on 17, and then just kind of went on a roll for a little bit there.”
Among the six players tied for eighth at 4 under is Casey’s captain Bryson DeChambeau, who is seeking his first professional win on a course under 6,900 yards. Hong Kong Golf Club played at 6,691 yards on Friday. He’s not surprised to see Casey atop the leaderboard.
“Paul, just being the ball-striker he is, the Popeye forearms and great iron player, he loves this place,” DeChambeau said. “It’s an iron player’s paradise.”
Still, DeChambeau wasn’t willing to concede the tournament to his teammate just yet. “I’m happy for Paul being at 7 under, but I’m going to come kick his ass here by the end of the week,” he said with a smile.
Don’t expect Casey to back down as he chases another checkmark on his global list. “I’ll not lie – there’s an element where you’re like, I want to beat him,” Casey said. “So, I think he feels that, too.”
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