4Aces captain Dustin Johnson wasted no time asserting his dominance by carding a bogey-free 8-under 63 in the opening round of the LIV Golf Singapore presented by Aramco, finishing atop the leaderboard with superb ball striking and a hot putter at Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong Course. Just three shots behind, Sebastian Muñoz of Torque GC secured second place at 5-under 66, keeping the pressure on.
Captain Cameron Smith of Ripper GC. (Photo by Pedro Salado/LIV Golf)
Meanwhile, Cameron Smith, the captain of Ripper GC, put together a solid 4-under 67 to sit in a crowded tie for third spot alongside Joaquin Niemann, captain of Torque GC; Brooks Koepka, captain of Smash GC; Louis Oosthuizen of Stinger GC; Paul Casey of Crushers GC; Jon Rahm, captain of Legion XIII, Fireballs GC’s Abraham Ancer and HyFlyers’ Cameron Tringale.
“Kind of everything clicked,” Johnson said after his round. “Drove it well, hit a lot of really nice iron shots, and then holed a few putts. The greens are really good, so if you hit good putts, they’re going in.”
Johnson’s performance also powered 4Aces GC to the top of the team leaderboard at 14-under as they look to end a winless streak dating back to LIV Golf London.
“It would be great,” he said about the possibility of a team win. “The team has been playing solid. I struggled the first couple of events, but I feel like my game is in good form now. We’re all playing well enough to get it done, but we need to stay consistent over the next two days.”
“I had a really good practice week,” he explained. “I was swinging it really well and just kept it going. Took advantage of the par-5s and made a couple of long putts, which always helps.”
While Johnson’s ball striking was dialled in, his putter made the difference in his round. “I putted well today,” he said. “I put a lot of work in the last couple of days, and it paid off.”
Though he briefly switched putters in Hong Kong, Johnson confirmed he has returned to his trusted Spider model. “I’ve been putting with this one for a while,” he said. “I just needed to put in the work.”
“With the strength of the field out here, it’s really hard to win,” he said. “Anytime you can get a win, no matter when it is, it’s always good.”
Sebastián Muñoz of Torque GC . (Photo by Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf)
Muñoz fired a 5-under 66 to sit in solo second, while Niemann, captain of Torque GC, carded a 4-under 67 to tie for third. With both players in contention, Torque GC is also eyeing a breakthrough team victory.
Muñoz was in control for most of his round, making a strong charge at the turn. “I had a good stretch on 16, 17, and 18, which got me to 4-under,” he said. “I had a little bogey on No. 2 but finished strong with a couple more birdies. The game feels solid, and I’m excited for the days ahead.”
“Last year, I didn’t really have specific goals, but now I do,” Muñoz explained. “My coach and I are working hard, staying committed to the process rather than just the results. It’s been paying off.”
Niemann’s round started well with early birdies on the second and third holes, though a three-putt on the par-5 fourth slowed his momentum. “I was hitting it great and taking advantage of my tee shots,” he said. “I had a little stretch on 11, 12, and 13 where I missed greens, but I made some key up-and-downs to keep my round going.”
Captain Joaquín Niemann of Torque GC. (Photo by Pedro Salado/LIV Golf)
Torque GC is currently in second place in the team standings at 12-under, and Niemann believes a victory would be a defining moment for the squad. “Last year, we didn’t get the results we wanted, but that’s what drives us to work harder,” he said. “Winning as a team is our main goal, and we’re motivated to keep pushing.”
Cam Smith, captain of Ripper GC, opened his campaign at LIV Golf Singapore with a solid 4-under 67 in the first round, placing him in a tie for third. Despite a slightly shaky start, Smith found his rhythm midway through the round and delivered a composed performance at Sentosa Golf Club.
“I got it going after probably the sixth or seventh hole, started hitting the right shots, and really committed to my swings,” he said. “I felt really comfortable out there, so it was a nice start.”
“There’s no easy way around here,” Smith explained. “Shot after shot is very demanding, and the greens are so nice. If you hit a putt from 20, 30 feet, you kind of already know before it’s gone in that it’s going in.”
