Carlos Ortiz took a one-shot lead at the clubhouse after an opening round 67 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in the second invitational event of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series. He shot five under par on Thursday and leads 4 Aces GC captain Dustin Johnson on the way to the second day game.
Ortiz’s exploits were enough to drag his team, Fireballs GC, to fourth in the team competition after none of his three teammates managed to score below par for the round. Johnson’s 4 Aces lead this part of the event as his score combined with debutant Pat Perez’s three unders gave their team two shots ahead of Stingers GC who won the team competition at Centurian Club in LIV Golf’s first invite.
Brooks Koepka† Bryson DeChambeauand Patrick Reed were among the newest players to defect from the PGA Tour and all three settled nicely into the format, although players like Phil MickelsonGreame McDowell and former LIV golf champion Charl Schwartzel struggled on Day 1.
Glorious weather conditions and accessible greens look set to make for another low scoring day, but perpetual cloudiness remains over the proceedings due to the controversial nature of this Rebel tour and an impending lawsuit after 16 players threatened the DP World Tour with legal action unless their sanctions for participating in the first LIV Golf event will be withdrawn.
Follow all the action from Day 2 of the second event of the controversial LIV Golf series below:
Live Updates LIV Golf
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Second Invitation Event taking place in Portland, Oregon
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Individual standings round 1: Ortiz (-5), D. Johnson (-4), Tanihara, Perez, Grace, Ormsby (-3)
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Team Ranking Round 1: 4 Aces (-7), Stingers (-5), Torque, Fireballs (-4) Punch (-3)
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DP World Tour hits back at LIV Golf players who threaten legal action over ban
DP World Tour hits back at 16 LIV golfers who threaten legal action over ban
20:15 † Michael Jones
Chief executive Keith Pelley has hit back at the 16 players who have threatened the DP World Tour with legal action unless their sanctions for participating in the first LIV Golf event will be withdrawn.
In a forcefully worded 550-word response to the letter “begging” the Tour to reconsider penalties before 5 p.m. today, Pelley criticizes the players’ claim that they “care deeply about the Tour”, citing how often they played in Rolex Series events in recent years.
He also says that a player has made a signed commitment to play in the Horizon Irish Open this week, but has instead participation in the second LIV Golf event in Portland.
Pelley declined to comment in detail on the threat of legal action, but said he believes the sanctions handed out are “proportionate, equitable and, in my view, deemed necessary by the majority of our members.”
DP World Tour hits back at 16 LIV golfers who threaten legal action over ban
LIV Golf Returns With Second Invitation Event
19:27 † Michael Jones
The controversial Saudi-backed breakout tour is back this week as LIV Golf hits America with its second event to be held at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland, Oregon.
The breakaway series continues to gain momentum with Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed among the high-profile players who recently defected from the PGA Tour, joining Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen.
Carlos Ortiz made his LIV Golf debut yesterday, marching to the top of the standings with a round 67 of five under par, but he is closely followed by Johnson, who has just one shot back. In the team competition, Johnson’s 4 Aces GC are a two-stroke ahead of Oosthuizen’s Stingers GC, but that could all change in today’s rounds as Pumpkin Ridge faces another low scoring day.
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have tried to crack down on rebel players by issuing suspensions and fines. threatened the DP World Tour with legal action unless their sanctions for participating in the first LIV Golf event will be withdrawn.
What else does Day 2 of the Portland Invitational have in store?