After the opening round of LIV Golf UK at JCB Golf and Country Club, there is already a familiar name at the top of the leaderboard.
Joaquin Niemann, who entered the tournament looking for his fifth win of the season, carded a six-under 65 on Friday to share the lead with LIV Golf Riyadh winner Adrian Meronk and Stinger GC’s Branden Grace with 36 holes to play.
The Torque GC captain began his round on the second hole in the usual shotgun start, and he got off to a flyer, with birdies on the first two holes.
Niemann’s blemish-free round continued with four more birdies, and it could have been even better for the Chilean but for missing his birdie putt on the last by a whisker.
Regardless, he is likely to be satisfied with his day’s work, particularly after the disappointment of missing the cut at The Open a week ago.
Afterwards, he addressed his form at Royal Portrush, saying: “I feel like my putter was a little bit off for the first two days.
"But it's part of it, and it was tough, and then I was able to focus and kind of reset myself into the last three, four tournaments of the season, which I think is really important.”
He then added ominously: “We're back at it.”
As for Meronk, he also made a strong start with a birdie on his first of the day, the 13th.
However, it took until his seventh of the round to make his second birdie, but his finish was strong, with four birdies in his last five holes to make amends for his one misstep of the day, a bogey at the par-4 sixth.
South African Grace produced his best performance of the season in the previous event, LIV Golf Andalucia at Valderrama, finishing T4, and he picked up where he left off with seven birdies and just one bogey.
That leaves him in contention for his first LIV Golf title since the circuit's second-ever tournament, LIV Golf Portland in 2022.
Immediately beneath the three co-leaders is Lee Westwood, who went into the tournament on the back of a decent showing at The Open, where he finished T34.
A strong performance for the Englishman this week would alleviate relegation worries, but he insisted that’s not on his mind.
He said afterwards: “I haven't really thought about it to be honest. Just play one round at a time, narrow it down to that, and whatever happens happens.”
On his recent return to form, he later added: “I've never given in in my career. I've had slumps and I've bounced back.
"I've been at No. 4 in the world and then nearly 300 and then bounced back to No.1. So that tells you that Lee Westwood doesn't toss it in on a golf course or in his career. I was brought up to keep trying hard and grinding it out.”
He’s joined on five under by two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and Carlos Ortiz, who finished T4 at the US Open.
Another notable name who made a solid start is Tyrrell Hatton, who is two back of the lead on four under.
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau is on three under, along with eight others, including Cameron Smith and Patrick Reed.
The 2018 Masters champion had the solo lead after three successive birdies between his eighth and 10th of the day, before three bogeys in his final six holes curtailed his progress.
Further down the leaderboard is defending champion Jon Rahm, whose amazing 20-event streak of top-10 LIV Golf finishes came to an end at LIV Golf Andalucia.
He would have been hoping to bounce back strongly here, but he endured a frustrating opening round that sees him head into Saturday in T32 and on even par.
Beginning on the first hole, Rahm began with two pars before a bogey on the third.
He then rallied with birdies on the eighth and 10th. However, that recovery was undone on the par-5 13th with a double bogey, before his third birdie of the day added respectability three holes later.
Rahm's Legion XIII, Stinger GC and Torque GC are the top three teams after the opening round, on 11-under.
