Eugenio Chacarra (Spain, Fireballs), shot a second round 63 to go along with his first round 65 to lead the $25 million LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok by five shots with one round to go at Stonehill Golf Club, Thailand.
The Spaniard is the youngest player in the 48 player field, at just 22 years-old and turned professional when he joined LIV Golf in the summer. He carded an eagle and seven birdies to post a bogey-free 63, moving him to 16 under and giving him a commanding lead over a four-way tie for second.
Beginning the day tied for the lead, Lopez-Chacarra birdied his opening two holes and followed another at the fifth by holing from a greenside bunker to eagle the par five sixth.
A back nine holes of four further birdies and no dropped shops saw him break his own course record of yesterday.
Double bogey
Patrick Reed (US) made a flawless 65 and Harold Varner III (US) joined Sihwan Kim (US) in making a second round 66, while overnight co-leader Richard Bland (Eng) completes the quartet on 11 under despite carding a double bogey during his four under 68.
Brooks Koepka (US) sits tied sixth on 10 under with James Piot (US), while Lee Westwood (Eng) is a further stroke back alongside Marc Leishman (Aus) and Kevin Na (US).
Leader of the Individual Rankings for the 2022 LIV Golf season, Dustin Johnson (US) shot his second consecutive 70 to lie in tied 21st.
Cameron Smith (Aus), the winner of the most recent LIV Golf event in Chicago, moved up to tied 35th thanks to a two under 70.
Branden Grace (RSA) was forced to withdraw after three holes of today’s round with an acute muscle strain in his left side and is a doubt for next week’s final event of the LIV Invitational Series, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as well as perhaps the Team Championship in Miami at the end of this month.
Tomorrow’s (Sunday) final round has been brought forward to a 9 am shotgun (local Thai time), due to an inclement weather forecast.
First Round Scores (Par 72, Upto 7,815 Yards)
Individual Event ($20 million Purse)
E. Lopez-Chacarra (Spain, Fireballs GC) 65. 63. 128.
R. Bland (Eng, Cleeks GC) 65. 68. 133.
S. Kim (US, Iron Heads GC) 67. 66. 133.
H. Varner III (US, Niblicks GC) 67. 66. 133.
P. Reed (US, 4 Aces GC) 68. 65. 133.
Team Event ($5 million Purse. Best two scores from the team of four players for the first two rounds and the best three scores from the team of four players in the final round).
Fireballs GC -34.
Niblicks GC -27.
Cleeks GC -26.
Iron Heads GC -24.
Crushers GC -23.
4 Aces GC -22.
Smash GC -22.
