With his next shot, the 2024 US Open champion smashed a 3-wood 275 metres, landing it on the green of the par-5 hole, clearing bunkers and finishing 25 feet from the flag. He missed the eagle putt but still finished with birdie.
Meanwhile, Cam Smith endured a horror start to LIV Golf’s Adelaide tournament, carding three consecutive bogeys to slip off the early pace.
The Australian fan favourite bogied his initial three holes at the Grange in Thursday’s opening round.
Smith birdied the par-5 seventh hole to be two over after nine holes, six shots adrift of the leaders at the midpoint of the first round.
Northern Ireland’s Graham McDowell leads the tournament ahead of Australia’s Marc Leishman, with Spain’s former world No.1 Jon Rahm in the group behind.
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Leishman’s compatriot Elvis Smylie, who won on his LIV debut in last week’s season-opening tournament in Saudi Arabia, is performing well, at 2-under.
The fourth edition of an Adelaide event expected to attract more than 130,000 spectators over the four days.
Another Australian in the field, Wade Ormsby – who is a LIV reserve and was summoned to replace Phil Mickelsen, who remains in the US because of family matter – is one over on his home sandbelt course in Adelaide’s beachside western suburbs.
