2022 LIV Golf in Boston leaderboard: Talor Gooch takes slim lead over Joaquin Niemann into last spherical

The cream has risen to the highest of the leaderboard on the 2022 LIV Golf occasion in Boston. The Oaks Course at The Worldwide was defenseless on Saturday as gamers took benefit of accessible pin places and a hearty dose of wedge pictures across the Tom Fazio redesign. Whereas Friday belonged to Matthew Wolff, Saturday was all Talor Gooch. The in a single day co-leader backed up his opening spherical of 7-under 63 with a 5-under 65 to keep up his spot atop the leaderboard by himself.

Trying to grow to be the primary American to win within the LIV Golf Invitational Sequence, Gooch stands at 12 underneath with simply 18 holes to go. Constantly on the primary web page of the leaderboard all through his quick tenure with LIV Golf, Gooch will try and fend off LIV Golf newcomer Joaquin Niemann at 11 underneath, in addition to a pleasant face in Dustin Johnson — his fellow 4 Aces teammate — at 10 underneath.

Simply as they’ve finished previously two LIV Golf occasions, the 4 Aces are well-positioned to assert the crew title. With Gooch and Johnson main the best way, Phil Mickelson’s Hy Flyers and Kevin Na’s Iron Heads will hope to supply drama within the crew portion of the occasion. Between the person race amongst three of the most important names in LIV Golf and a good crew competitors, the ultimate spherical is ready as much as present fireworks outdoors Boston.

The chief

1. Talor Gooch (-12)

The 2021 RSM Traditional winner appears to seize his second skilled victory in lower than a yr. Gooch has been some of the constant gamers for the reason that onset of the LIV Golf circuit, ending ninth in London, seventh in Portland and T6 in Bedminster. Whereas these sturdy performances have produced crew titles, he has but to really contend individually.

The largest space of concern with Gooch is usually his inaccuracy off the tee. With tree-lined fairways at The Worldwide, we should always know early in his last spherical if there are any nerves in his system, as he tends to hit a fast hook when in competition. If that shot is nowhere to be seen, the 30-year-old ought to love his possibilities to win his first LIV Golf occasion and lead his crew to its third.

Different contenders

2. Joaquin Niemann (-11)

3. Dustin Johnson (-10)

4. Anirban Lahiri (-9)

T4. Matthew Wolff, Jason Kokrak, Kevin Na and Bernd Wiesberger (-8)

Except Wolff can recreate the magic from Friday’s spherical, this occasion has became a three-horse race between Gooch, Niemann and Johnson. Regardless of being the elder statesman amongst his friends, Johnson is at the moment within the midst of an enormous drought by way of victories; he final raised a person trophy on the 2021 Saudi Worldwide when he was world No. 1. 

With Gooch and Niemann capturing wins through the 2021-22 PGA Tour season, one has to marvel if the nerves will reside within the veteran Johnson. Ending T3 at LIV Portland and T2 at LIV Bedminster, the two-time main champion has been trending to the highest spot and will take solace in figuring out he’s essentially the most prolific winner on the primary web page of the leaderboard.

Sihwan Kim wins most improved

Kicking off his LIV Boston occasion in a nightmare vogue, Kim greater than struggled on his inward half within the first spherical at The Worldwide. Carding three double bogeys and a ten, Kim got here residence in 15-over 50 and finally signed for a 17-over 87 on Friday. Maybe altering his breakfast or his typical morning routine, Kim was born anew on Saturday.

The 2-time winner on the Asian Tour improved by 24 pictures in Spherical 2 and signed for a 7-under 63 — tying Johnson for the bottom spherical of day. Within the course of, Kim aided the Iron Heads of their quest for the crew trophy. They’re at the moment on the rostrum in solo third, only one stroke behind the Hy Flyers in second.

Is a 4 Aces dynasty in our presence?

Since including Pat Perez and Patrick Reed, the 4 Aces have gone undefeated, elevating trophies on the LIV Golf occasions in Portland and Bedminster. Regardless of their crew’s success, no member of the 4 Aces has gone onto to win the person title in unison with the crew portion of the occasion. 

Johnson and Gooch are firmly within the combine to win the solo crown and with three of 4 scores counting in the direction of tomorrow’s crew competitors, each gamers might want to steadiness the urge to assault pins with the necessity to preserve the crew’s margin over the remainder of the squads.

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