Sergio Garcia among five co-leaders at LIV Golf Chicago

Sergio Garcia is one of five directors at LIV Golf Chicago.

Sergio Garcia will not compete in next week’s Ryder Cup, but he had his best performance yet, shooting a 5-under 66 in the first round at LIV Golf Chicago. Friday, Sugar Grove, Illinois.

The Spaniard is tied with South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, Australia’s Jedia Morgan, Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz and India’s Anirban Lahiri. At 4-under 67, 10 players, including Chileans Joaquin Niemann and Patrick Reed, are one shot behind. Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau are tied for 3-under 68. Rich Harvest Farms had three birdies early in the round and Fireballs captain GC Garcia birdied the 626-yard par-5 tenth hole.

When he birdied the par-3 15th hole, he briefly took the lead at 6 under par, but made his only bogey of the day on the next hole and continued the rest of the course. “This process is very feasible depending on the circumstances,” Garcia said. “I was surprised there were quite a few low scores today. Of course I’ll take a shot.

“But yes. It is important to hit the ball well and score points. “I’m mixing it up well and I feel like I can make a lot of birdies if I hit the ball well,” he said.

Morgan recorded seven birdies but recorded a double bogey midway through the round. He will play to keep his LIV golf card at the end of the season. He ranks just 46th out of 50 full-time golfers in the season standings. “I don’t know. I just look into their eyes. It’s hard to escape because I know where I am and everything reminds me of where I am, so I can’t try anything. It’s like it’s not there. My head.” ” “It’s clear there,” Morgan said.

“But I know if I play well enough, if I put myself in a position where I think I can make a birdie putt, that’s really all you can do.”

Stinger GC captain Oosthuizen is the only leader left on Friday. His entire South African team also leads. Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel (4 under par) and Dean Burmester (4 under par) lead the Stingers by 13 shots, one stroke ahead of Fireballs and Crushers GC. Stinger is third in the season standings, 156 points behind 4Aces GC and Torque GC. They will compete for a spot in the tag team championships in Miami next month. “As you know, advancing in Miami doesn’t mean much. “There’s one game left on that Saturday and anything can happen,” Oosthuizen said. “I think it’s more important to know that the bye starts on Saturday and we still have a little time to prepare. But I think you’d better watch them too.”