SAN ROQUE, Spain – Smash GC’s Talor Gooch is on top of the individual leaderboard after two rounds at LIV Golf Andalucía, while 4Aces GC lead on the team side. Here are some other news, notes and stats from Saturday at Real Club Valderrama.
LIV GOLF ANDALUCÍA ROUND 2 NOTES
DJ ON THE UPSWING
4Aces GC Captain Dustin Johnson had the low round of the week on Saturday, firing a 7-under 64 that included seven birdies and no bogeys. For Johnson, the strong performance validates what he’s been feeling lately: that he’s been playing well and just not scoring.
“I feel like my game has been really good the last month and a half or so, just haven’t really seen the results that I feel like I should be shooting,” Johnson said. “Today it was nice to actually put together a really solid round. I feel like I’m swinging really good. I’ve got a lot of confidence in everything that I’m doing.”
Johnson bounced back from two bogeys to end his first round Saturday.
“I was a little frustrated with the way I finished this morning, especially with it not playing very tough, first thing,” he said. “But it was just one of those things, you just had to forget about it, go out, try to shoot a good score.”
RAHM IN SPAIN
Spanish native Jon Rahm has enjoyed the embrace of his countrymen this week at Andalucía. He hopes to repay their support with a big rally on Sunday after shooting a second-round 70 that left him six shots off the lead.
Asked about his Spanish fans, Rahm said: “It means the world. It also feels a little heavier on you when you make mistakes or don’t take advantage of the ones that could have been. I’m not only upset for myself, but I’m a little bit upset for them as well that I’m not going to have a better chance tomorrow.
“But I always like to think that things tend to even out throughout the week, and I’m hoping that those that I haven’t made today go in tomorrow.”
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN
Sergio Garcia still has an outside shot at defending his Andalucía title, but the Fireballs GC captain – who has won four tournaments at Valderrama through his storied career – will need the same kind of rally as last year’s win, in which he came back from seven shots down in the final round
After finishing his 2-under 69 Saturday afternoon, Garcia expressed frustration over missed opportunities.
“I feel like I’ve played really, really well the last two days, but unfortunately, I’ve given away probably seven or eight shots in the last two rounds,” he said. “With the way I played today, I could have easily shot 7-under.”
KOZUMA EAGLES
Iron Heads GC’s Jinichiro Kozuma has made the only two eagles in the field this week, both at the par-5 11th. It’s a big reason why Kozuma finds himself tied for fourth with Jon Rahm at 1 under.
BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR GRACE
Stinger GC’s Branden Grace is trying to avoid the Drop Zone for the second consecutive season.
Grace started the week 49th in points, making him the first player listed in the Drop Zone of players 49th or below in points. But he could acquire some big points as he starts Sunday’s final round in solo third. Based on current projections, he would move to 34th in points and likely avoid the Drop Zone with just three regular-season tournaments remaining.
The South African has battled a wrist injury this season that forced him to withdraw in Korea, and he wasn’t even sure if he would return at all in 2025.
“To be quite honest, after Korea, I thought I was done for the year when I withdrew there,” Grace aid. “So, everything now is a bonus really. I’ve kind of made peace that I’ll have to do what I have to do. I’m going to get it fixed eventually. Whether it’s good or bad, it is what it is, and I’m going to try my best for the team.
“Obviously for me, whatever my turnout is at the end of the season, it is what it is. I’m trying my best. I’m still working as hard as I can to do what I need to do to try and give myself those opportunities.”
BOGEY-FREE HISTORY
Joaquin Niemann finished up his first round Saturday morning to card a bogey-free 2-under 69. In the second round, Dustin Johnson (64) and Matt Jones (70) shot bogey-free rounds. The only player to shoot a bogey-free round in either of the first two years of LIV Golf Andalucía was Bryson DeChambeau.
HIGH RD. 1 SCORE
DeChambeau’s Crushers GC finished the first round Saturday morning with a leading team score of 3 over. That’s the highest-leading score by any team in league history after 18 holes.