(Photo credit score: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)
Kerry Mountcastle had no thought what LIV Golf Promotions was a month in the past. He’s very acquainted proper now as he advances to spherical two of the occasion after main the 60-player discipline with an 8-under 64 on the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Friday.
Mountcastle and 28 different gamers who completed inside the highest 20and ties superior and can be a part of 13 exempt gamers. The scores can be reset for the 42-man discipline on Saturday.
The prime 20 gamers after Saturday’s spherical transfer on to compete for 3 out there LIV spots, taking part in 36 holes on the ultimate day. Any ties on Saturday will go to a playoff.
It has been a whirlwind month for Mountcastle, who earned his first skilled victory on the PGA Tour of Australasia final month. That earned him invitations into two massive occasions in Australia and though he missed the lower at each, he had additionally secured a spot within the Promotions occasion.
Mountcastle’s 64 on Friday was two higher than anybody else within the discipline. He mentioned he hasn’t had time to cease and take into consideration the opportunity of incomes a profitable spot within the LIV league as Mountcastle is taking part in for the sixth consecutive week.
“I didn’t know anything about the LIV Promotions until I got told the Monday after I won,” Mountcastle mentioned, “and now I’m here and I’ve made it to the second day, which everything is on.”
American Seungsu Han completed second Friday at 6 underneath, with 5 gamers posting 5-under 67s.
Seven of the 12 gamers who superior to the second on the quantity wanted birdies on the ultimate gap Friday. Meanwhile, Guntaek Koh and Chris Stroud every bogeyed the 18th gap to overlook the lower by a single shot.
Players who end Nos. 4-10 within the occasion can be absolutely exempt for all 2024 occasions on The International Series sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
PLAYERS ADVANCING
–Kerry Mountcastle, New Zealand (-8): Recently received the Gippsland Super 6 on the PGA Tour of Australasia
–Seungsu Han, USA (-6): Won the Asian Tour’s Korean Open Golf Championship in June
–Junghwan Lee, Korea (-5): Has three runner-up finishes on the Korean Tour this season
–Jinichiro Kozuma, Japan (-5): Made three begins within the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series, ending twenty ninth in factors
–Taichi Kho, Hong Kong (-5): Won the Asian Tour’s World City Championship in his native Hong Kong in March
–Max Kennedy, Ireland (-5): One of 4 amateurs within the discipline this week
–Tapio Pulkkanen, Finland (-5): Played this season on the DP World Tour
–Poom Saksansin, Thailand (-5): Won the Asian Tour’s Yeangder TPC in September
–Sadom Kaewkanjana, Thailand (-5): Played full-time on the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series
–Jaco Ahlers, South Africa (-4): Won the Asian Tour’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters in October
–Jeongwoo Ham, Korea (-4): Has one win and 5 different top-5 finishes in his final six begins on the Korean Tour
–Steve Lewton, England (-4): Finished twenty second on the International Series standings in 2023
–Miguel Tabuena, Philippines (-4): Won The DGC Open on the Asian Tour in March
–Zach Bauchou, USA (-3): Has two top-5s in his final eight Korn Ferry Tour begins
–Kazuki Higa, Japan (-3): Has 10 skilled wins, six on the Japan Golf Tour
–Phachara Khongwatmai, Thailand (-3): Played full-time within the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series
–Gregory Bourdy, France (-3): Has 10 skilled wins, 4 on the European Tour
–Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Thailand (-2): Won in his most up-to-date begin on the Asian Tour on the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open
–Settee Prakongvech, Thailand (-2): Posted three victories in 23 begins in 2022
–Zach Murray, Australia (-2): Finished thirty eighth within the 2023 International Series standings
–Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, Thailand (-2): Won as soon as and completed runner-up 4 occasions in 25 begins in 2022
–Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Thailand (-2): Finished twenty eighth within the 2023 International Series standings
–Kevin Yuan, Australia (-2): Played the inaugural occasion final season at LIV Golf London Invitational
–Braden Thornberry, USA (-2): Won the 2017 NCAA Division I males’s golf championship whereas at University of Mississippi
–Joel Stalter, France (-2): Posted his lone DP World Tour win in 2020 in Austria
–Luis Carrera, Mexico (-2): Turned professional this summer time after stellar profession at University of Central Florida
–Bio Kim, Korea (-2): Has 4 wins within the final three seasons, together with the LX Championship this yr on the Korean Tour
–Martin Trainer, France (-2): Won in Puerto Rico on the PGA Tour in 2019
–Lucas Bjerregaard, Denmark (-2): Has six skilled wins, together with two on the DP World Tour
EXEMPT PLAYERS
–PGA Tour veterans Jason Dufner, a former main champion, and Kevin Chappell.
–Five gamers ranked Nos. 2-8 in closing International Series standings: India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul, Australia’s Wade Ormsby and Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent.
–Three relegated LIV Golf gamers: Australian Jed Morgan and Americans Sihwan Kim and James Piot. Reserve Lauri Canter can even be within the discipline.
–China’s Sampson-Yuhne Zheng was invited because the highest-ranking entrant within the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
–Finland’s Kalle Samooja, who was a winner within the DP World Tour in 2022.
“Bypassing the first round is definitely an advantage,” Ormsby mentioned. “It’s one less round you’ve got, one less hurdle to get over.”
–Field Level Media