ST ALBANS, England (Reuters) – South African Charl Schwartzel and compatriot Hennie Du Plessis led the chase for the document $4 million winners’ cheque after spherical two of the opening LIV Invitational occasion on Friday.
Schwartzel, who led after Thursday’s opening spherical, produced one other dazzling spherical to remain high of the leaderboard by three strokes from Du Plessis.
The 37-year-old carded a four-under 66 in breezy circumstances on the course within the countryside north of London to face at nine-under with Saturday’s third and closing spherical to return.
Du Plessis, who’s on the identical four-man workforce as Schwartzel, shot a 68 to remain firmly within the hunt.
Oliver Bekker made it three South Africans within the high 4 as he put collectively a spherical of 67 to achieve three underneath.
American Peter Uihlein birdied his final gap for a best-of-the-day 66 to maneuver to inside 5 photographs of Schwartzel.
After Thursday’s glitzy launch was overshadowed by information that the PGA Tour had suspended these collaborating within the divisive Saudi-funded breakaway circuit, sizeable crowds arrived to observe the 48-strong area chase the largest prize in golf historical past on Friday, air reveals and stay music including to the leisure.
Six-time main champion Phil Mickelson and taking part in accomplice Dustin Johnson drew the largest following together with European Ryder Cup stalwarts Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.
Mickelson, taking part in his first event since February after a taking time away from the sport within the wake of feedback he made in regards to the LIV Series, struggled along with his putter in a spherical of five-over 75 to go away him on 4 over for the event.
Johnson fared higher, a good par spherical leaving him at one underneath heading into Saturday.
The LIV Invitational Series, providing an eye-watering $25 million in prize cash at every of the eight occasions, has shaken up golf’s establishment and sparked an influence wrestle.
On Friday American big-hitter Bryson DeChambeau grew to become the most recent participant to leap on to the LIV bandwagon.
The occasions includes a 54-hole format with no cuts and a shotgun begin the place every group of three begins on a special gap. As properly as the person stroke play competitors, 12 groups of 4, chosen by captains at a pre-event draft and boasting names resembling Stingers and Fireballs, compete for a workforce prize pot of $5 million.
Schwartzel’s Stinger workforce are out in entrance on a mixed 15 underneath, seven higher than Uillein’s Crushers.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman)
