LIV Golf Virginia round one recap - Lucas Herbert leads the field on eight-under par, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm five back

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Live updates as Lucas Herbert ends the first round on eight-under-par holding a two-shot lead, with Sergio Garcia one of four players behind on six-under. Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm both recovered from poor starts in Virginia to end the round on three-under par. Herbert's score helped the Australian Ripper GC side to hold a four-shot lead on the Teams Leaderboard.

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Herbert takes two-shot lead into round two

Australia’s Lucas Herbert ended the opening day of LIV Golf Virginia with a two-shot lead at eight-under par, with Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm five shots back.

After two early birdies, the Ripper GC golfer added an eagle on the par-five second and then, after a solitary bogey on the following hole, went on a run of five birdies in six holes from the sixth to establish his lead.

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Herbert three clear after Smith's historic back nine

25/07/2026 at 19:14

Sergio Garcia is among four players two shots off the lead after he made three birdies and an eagle in his last five holes.

Herbert’s Ripper GC team-mate Marc Leishman sunk a 20-footer on the last to join them on six-under, with England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Sebastian Munoz of Colombia also finishing with a 66.

Unsurprisingly, Ripper GC lead the Teams leaderboard by four shots on a combined 15-under-par.

The two marquee names on the tour, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, recovered from poor starts to end respectably on three-under par.

DeChambeau bogeyed two of the first three holes but three birdies in four holes before the turn helped put him back in credit and he then made a birdie at the 17th to help him finish with a 69.

Afterwards, DeChambeau suggested he played "YouTube golf."

For Rahm, who bogeyed the fourth, it took until the 12th for him to go under par and he followed that with a bogey, before a birdie-eagle run on 16 and 17 lifted his mood.

Teams Leaderboard

Ripper GC -15
Legion XIII -11
Torque GC -9
Cleeks Golf Club -8
Southern Guards GC -7
4Aces GC -7

Round 1 Leaderboard

Herbert -8
Munoz -6
Hatton -6
Garcia -6
Leishman -6
McDowell -5
Kim -4
Perez -4
Burmester -4
Ham -4
--

DeChambeau -3
Rahm -3

Herbert takes first-round lead

A fantastic effort from the Aussie to complete a 64 giving him a two-shot lead to take into Friday.

Sergio joins the cluster on six-under

A very good chip to inside eight foot set Sergio Garcia up for a birdie on his final hole and brought him to six-under, with Marc Leishman joining him, after ending his round with a 20-foot putt on the fourth.

Hatton ends round on six-under

A fine round from Tyrell Hatton, ending with a 66 after seven birdies and a sole bogey.

Rahm up to three-under

He backs up a birdie on the 16th by sinking a 12-foot eagle putt on the 17th to move level with DeChambeau, with a hole to play.

DeChambeau ends round on three-under

It began so badly with consecutive bogeys, but ending on three-under DeChambeau at least is in position to end the second day in contention. The other groups have been moving a little slower, many still with two holes to go.

Herbert misses the chance to extend lead

The Aussie had the chance to go to nine-under but his 12-foot putt stayed just right of the hole

Rahm back under par

He birdies the 16th and could well get another on the par-five 17th, but he will start round two a long way back.

Herbert restores two-shot lead

A fantastic putt on the 11th gives him a seventh birdie of the round (he has also had an eagle) and takes him to eight-under par. And now he goes to the birdie haven 12th...

Hatton and Munoz within one of Herbert

Hatton birdied the 17th to bring him within one of the leader with two holes remaining. Munoz birdied the tenth and ends his day on the friendly par-five 12th.

Burmester joind the crew on four-under

Sergio Garcia has also moved up to this total.

Herbert now leads by two

He birdied the tenth while Munoz bogeyed the ninth and now thew Aussie is odds-on to end the day at the top of the leaderboard.

Rahm bogeys the par-four 13th to go back to even par.

Leaderboard with four to play

Ulsterman Graeme McDowell has snuck up the leaderboard to currently lie in joint-fourth.

Munoz -6
Herbert -6
Hatton -5
Leishman -4
Perez -4
McDowell -4
Niemann -3
Puig -3
Meronk -3
Schwartzel -3
Song -3
--

DeChambeau -2
Rahm -1

You can watch all the 2026 season of LIV Golf live on HBO Max.

Westy high-fiving fans after chip-in

The Ryder Cup legend is in exuberant mood after chipping in from off the green on the 18th.

Munoz joins Herbert in lead

A birdie on the par-four eighth has Munoz alongside Herbert in the front of the pack.

Herbert takes the lead

Aussie Lucas Herbert left himself a four-footer at the eighth and though the putt wobbled a little, it dropped and he is the first man to 6-under.

Rahm finally gets under par

He birdies the par-fifth 12th, after six straight pars, and moves to one-under.

Hatton takes the lead

What a day for the Englishman, he briefly takes the sole lead after his birdie on 13th, his second in as many holes. But then Herbert and Munoz also grab birdies. These three have a two shot lead over the field.

Bryson up to two-under

He sinks a six-footer ont he par-five 12th to move within two shots of the lead.

Hatton joins Munoz at summit

A four on the par-five 12th brings the Buckinghamshire man to four-under.

Munoz takes sole lead

Sebastian Munoz makes his fifth birdie of the day, this one on the par-four fifth, and takes the lead on his own after 10 holes.

Kim joins the leaders

A monster putt across the ninth green has the Adelaide winner Anthony Kim alongside the leaders at three-under.

Teams Leaderboard entering back nine

The Latin American side Torque, led by Joaquin Niemann, have the lead halfway through the first round.

Torque -8
Ripper -7
Southern Guards -6
4Aces -6

Leaderboard at halfway stage

Hatton -3
Detry -3
Poulter -3
Leishman -3
Kokrak -3
Munoz -3
Herbert -3
Watson -2
Kim -2
Westwood -2
McKibbin -2

You can watch all the 2026 season of LIV Golf live on HBO Max.

Bryson one-under at the turn

Birdies on the eighth (even after out-driving the green) and ninth bring the American back in credit as he starts the back nine. He has passed rival Rahm who is on level par.

Five now share lead

Herbert's bogey now sees him share the lead with Hatton, Munoz, Detry, Poulter, Leishman and Munoz.

Bryson back to one-over

He makes his first birdie of the day on the par-five sixth.

Hatton makes three birdies in a row

And the third, on the eighth hole, brings him level with Kokrak and Detry in second place.

Herbert goes to four-under

A 12 foot eagle putt on the third is sunk and the Aussie leapfrogs Kokrak to take the lead.

Kokrak at the top of the leaderboard

Poulter dropped a shot at the 15th, just as Kokrak made a birdie at the 12th.

Rahm's mood improves

He sinks a mammoth putt to go back to even par. It is just about enough to remove the scowl from his face.

Rahm also one-over!

And after missing a par putt, he puts his next shot - a drive on the fifth - into the rough. Banging his driver into the turf afterwards. You would have had long odds on Rahm and DeChambeau being in these positions.

Poulter up to three-under!

He has the lead to himself after his third birdie of the day, on the par-three 14th. Westwood is up to two-under.

Ripper have lead in Team event

With Marc Leishman joining the leaders at -2, the Australian side now have a two-shot lead in the team event.

Ripper -6
Torque -4
RangeGoats -3

Early leaderboard (after 4 holes)

Kokrak -2
Poulter -2
Herbert -2
Ortiz -2
Smith -1
Smylie -1
Detry -1

--
Rahm Evs
DeChambeau +2

Poulter is joint-leader

He birdies the par-five 12th, to go with the one on his opening hole, the 10th, and joins Ortiz at the top of the leaderboard on two-under.

Bryson goes to two-over!

His chip from the tee-side bunker was not bad but he then missed the seven-foot putt for par. Rahm secures a par after just missing a 15 foot pbirdie putt - which will feel like a bogey after driving the edge of the green in two.

Rahm with very poor chip from green edge

A red letter day as Rahm pitches his chip and run before the hole and it runs well a long way past. Puig does similar with a putt suggesting the pace of the green is really catching them by surprise.

Bryson putt slides just past

He misses the putt just to the left. Carlos Ortiz is now the leader after making an eagle on 17. Song made a bogey, missing a six foot putt for par, to join the glut on one-under.

DeChambeau immediately with chance to recover

DeChambeau has a chance for a birdie on the par-five second after hitting his second shot to 12 feet. Rahm begins with a par.

What a start from Song

Younghan Song makes an eagle on the par-five seventh to take an early lead. Lee Westwood also gets away with a birdie, as do Tyrell Hatton and Ian Poulter.

DeChambeau starts with a bogey

He misses a long putt for par. And so does playing partner Taylor Gooch, despite landing his second shot 12 feet from the hole.

Rahm with a much better tee shot

Following DeChambeau's grouping on the 1st are Rahm, Puig and Johnson. Rahm's tee shot is perfect giving him a wedge to the green from the middle of the fairway. Johnson's is further west than DeChambeau's tee shot.