It was a strong start for LIV Golfers on day one of the men’s Olympic golf tournament, with Joaquin Niemann leading the way for the team tour thanks to a five-under-par 65 and Jon Rahm also inside the top-six.
Niemann was only bettered by Hideki Matsuyama and Xander Schauffele in the opening round thanks to an eagle, four birdies and just one dropped shot.
The Chilean, who leads the LIV Golf money list after two early wins, is T3rd after 18 holes, with Jon Rahm just a stroke back in T6th.
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One of the perks of winning a gold medal as a golfer is entry into all the Majors next year, which is a huge incentive for LIV players like Niemann.
“If you didn’t have those four Majors for a win, I would have the same intensity,” Niemann insisted.
“I will have the same motivation to win. I mean, I feel like this is Olympics and got to focus more on winning medals than winning my way into the Majors.”
Rahm, who won his maiden LIV Golf title last week in the UK, shot four-under in a rollercoaster 67 that included two eagles, four birdies, two bogeys and a double.
Niemann’s Torque GC teammate Carlos Ortiz is at three-under, having been pegged back after a double bogey on the par-3 16th, where he found water off the tee.
Their fellow teammate Mito Pereira also found water, on the 15th, to make a double bogey late on but still posted a solid 69 (-2).
Spain’s David Puig was another to have been going along very nicely, reaching five-under at one stage, before dropping shots at 13, 17 and 18. He also got in with a 69 (-2) to sit T21st.
Abraham Ancer is the final LIV Golfer under par, at one-under, while Poland’s Adrian Meronk – who would win a two-bed flat among other things with gold – struggled with a 73 (+2) to sit outside of the top 50.
Greg Norman is on-site at Le Golf National cheering on his seven LIV Golfers, writing: “Bring home the medals boys!!” Norman could well have a medal to celebrate on Sunday based on a solid opening round from his players.
LIV Golf leaderboard at the Olympics: round 1
- T3: -5 Joaquin Niemann
- T6: -4 Jon Rahm
- T14: -3 Carlos Ortiz
- T21: -2 Mito Pereira
- T21: -2 David Puig
- T29: -1 Abraham Ancer
- T49: +2 Adrian Meronk
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