LIV Golf Invitational London Leaderboard and Odds - How Things Stand After Day 1

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The hotly anticipated LIV London got underway on Friday afternoon with all 48 players and 12 teams teeing it up at Centurion Club in the English capital. Much was made in the build-up about the fact that the event marks one year since LIV launched at the very same venue in 2022 and the stars of the tour certainly put on a show for an excited crowd on day one.

Cameron Smith, who was a predicted winner before a ball had been hit, has the lead in the individual competition after the opening round, while Ripper GC are in command in the team standings. With 36 holes still to play, though, anything is still possible with plenty of big names well in contention.

LIV London Leaderboard

Contents

1 LIV London Leaderboard
2 LIV London round one highlights
3 LIV London updated odds

Position/Player		Total	R1
1	Cameron Smith (AUS)	-8	63
2	Marc Leishman (USA)	-7	64
3	Thomas Pieters (BEL)	-5	66
T4	Talor Gooch (USA)	-4	67
T4	Laurie Canter (ENG)	-4	67
T4	Cameron Tringale (USA)	-4	67
T7	Abraham Ancer (MEX)	-3	68
T7	Richard Bland (ENG)	-3	68
T7	Branden Grace (RSA)	-3	68
T7	Anirban Lahiri (IND)	-3	68
T11	Sergio Garcia (ESP)	-2	69

LIV London round one highlights

Smith dominates on English soil

With just two weeks to go until the Open Championship, Cameron Smith seems to be hitting form at the right time. Going into LIV London he had finished in the top 12 in his last seven starts across two majors and five LIV events and has started this weekend in a determined mood to not only keep that streak going but to also record his first victory of the year.

Smith is the defending Open champion so will be under severe pressure in two weeks but if he plays as well he did on Friday at Centurion Club then he won’t have too many problems. The Australian carded a bogey-free round of 63 which included a stretch of seven birdies in nine holes and will take a one-shot lead into the second round tomorrow.

Cameron. Smith. 🚨🔥🦘
-8 thru 17pic.twitter.com/FfSc1Fe1Ld
— CAM SMITH LEGION (@CamSmithLegion) July 7, 2023

Rippers run riot

Not only did Cameron Smith have a great day from an individual point of view, but he is also part of the team that are currently top of the team standings in London, too. Ripper GC, an all-Australian outfit, combined for -13 on Friday with Smith and Marc Leishman doing the vast majority of work for the team.

Leishman carded the second-best round of the day – a 64 which included eight birdies and one bogey which means Rippers have a legitimate chance of a 1-2 finish on Sunday. Unfortunately for the pair, both Matt Jones and Jediah Morgan went over-par which meant their combined score of -15 was pegged back to -13. Still, the side have a three-shot lead over RangeGoats GC heading into day two.

Home stars fare well

Given the fact that the event is the only tournament on the LIV Calendar played in England, the likes of Ian Poulter – a good each-way pick pre-tournament – and Lee Westwood were determined to put on a good performance. The aforementioned pair declined to participate in Open Championship qualification which means this is arguably their biggest tournament of the season and they have both started well.

The two experienced Brits carded rounds of 69 which means they are in a tie for 11th on the leaderboard going into the second round. Other Brits who performed well at Centurion Club on day one include Laurie Canter, who carded a 67, and Richard Bland, who is one shot further adrift after a 68. For Paul Casey, however, it was a day to forget after opening up with a disappointing 73.

A day to forget for Brooks Koepka

Going into LIV London, Brooks Koepka was the closest man in the overall individual standings to Talor Gooch. Gooch extended his lead in the standings last week at LIV Valderrama when he won his third event of the season and has started off well in London, too, thanks to a round 67.

For Koepka, however, any hopes of closing the gap on his compatriot seem all but lost after a disappointing day on the course for the PGA Champion. Koepka carded an over-par round of 72 after continuously giving shots back all day. He will need to improve considerably on Saturday if he is to chase down Gooch, while he will also keen for some momentum heading into the final major of the year.