DJ three off lead at LIV Golf opener as one pro makes a 10 (!) on par-4

Dustin Johnson trails the leaders by three strokes after the first round of the 2023 LIV Golf League season at Mayakoba in Mexico.

Ben Smith's picture
Fri, 24 Feb 2023
DJ three off lead at LIV Golf opener as one pro makes a 10 (!) on par-4

Dustin Johnson found himself three strokes off the lead after the first round of the 2023 LIV Golf League season.

Johnson carded an opening round of 3-under 68 at El Camaleón Mayakoba Golf Course in Mexico. 

The American won the individual competition in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series and continued his fine form. 

Related: Koepka lifts lid on 'fight' with DJ at Ryder Cup

His round was highlighted by a huge putt on No. 6 and by the end of play his 4 Aces GC were also T-2 in the team format. 

Johnson threatened to go lower but back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12 halted his momentum. 

After 18 holes it was Jason Kokrak, of Brooks Koepka's Smash GC and Paul Casey, of Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers GC who were tied at the top. 

Both players fired opening rounds of 65 but Kokrak's was faultless. Casey's round of 6-under included a double bogey along with eight birdies. 

Peter Uihlein, Talor Gooch, Marc Leishman, Charles Howell III, Branden Grace and Ian Poulter rounded out the top-10. 

Despite shifting a huge amount of weight in the off-season, the struggles of Phil Mickelson continued on the course. 

The 52-year-old failed to break par. At one stage he was tied for the lead after notching three consecutive birdies but in the end signed for a 72. 

More than half the field's 48 players failed to break par at the venue that has previously hosted a PGA Tour event for the last 16 years. 

England's Laurie Canter replaced Martin Kaymer in the Cleeks GC side after the German was forced out of the tournament through injury. 

Canter's opening round of 79 included a quadruple bogey at No. 12. 

Sihwan Kim, of Kevin Na's Iron Heads GC, occupied last place with an opening 82. His round included a 10 (!) at the par-4 18th. 

Thomas Pieters, who has signed a $10m deal with LIV, shot an opening 5-over 76. 

Once again the total prize purse is $25m, with the winner taking home $4m. The winning team will split $3m. 

Team standings after R1

  • Crushers GC -10
  • Smash GC -7 
  • 4 Aces GC -7
  • Ripper GC -6
  • Fireballs GC -4
  • Majesticks GC -1
  • RangeGoats GC E
  • Hy Flyers GC +1
  • Stinger GC +1
  • Iron Heads GC +3
  • Torque GC +5
  • Cleeks GC +6

How much they will earn

Win: $4,000,000

2: $2,125,000

3: $1,500,000

4: $1,050,000

5: $975,000

6: $800,000

7: $675,000

8: $625,000

9: $580,000

10: $560,000

11: $540,000

12: $450,000

13: $360,000

14: $270,000

15: $250,000

16: $240,000

17: $232,000

18: $226,000

19: $220,000

20: $200,000

21: $180,000

22: $172,000

23: $170,000

24: $168,000

25: $166,000

26: $164,000

27: $162,000

28: $160,000

29: $158,000

30: $156,000

31: $154,000

32: $152,000

33: $150,000

34: $148,000

35: $146,000

36: $144,000

37: $142,000

38: $140,000

39: $138,000

40: $136,000

41: $134,000

42: $132,000

43: $130,000

44: $128,000

45: $126,000

46: $124,000

47: $122,000

48: $120,000

Team payouts:

Win: $3,000,000

2: $1,500,000

3: $500,000

Next page: Who will LIV sign next?