Bryson DeChambeau and Charles Howell III battled to the end last year at LIV Golf Korea and picked up where they left off on Thursday, with Sam Vincent joining them for the ride.
The three players each recorded a 5-under-par 65 to spring the top of the leaderboard of this season’s Korea event at Asiad Country Club in Busan, South Korea. They have a one-stroke lead over Ian Poulter, Joaquin Niemann and Thomas Pieters, with four players two shots back and a packed group of 12 at 2-under par.
Vincent built his round on five birdies, including two of his final three holes, while defending champion DeChambeau and Howell had some ups and downs.
DeChambeau made the turn at 5-under and added a birdie at No. 10. But he played the final eight at 1-over with bogeys at holes 13 and 15 and a birdie at 16.
Howell, DeChambeau’s Crushers GC teammate, played the first five holes at even par and followed with an adventure of an eagle, two birdies and two bogeys to reach 3-under. He made birdie on the final two holes to finish in the three-way tie.
Although DeChambeau couldn’t keep the pace of his sizzling first 10 holes, he nonetheless was pleased with his play on an unfamiliar course. LIV Golf Korea was held at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon in 2025.
“I guess Charles and I love Korea. We both played well today, played well last year,” DeChambeau said.
“It’s a tricky golf course. … If you’re strategic and you execute good shots, you can make some birdies. Your ball-striking has to be premier; you can’t fake it around here.”
DeChambeau said his round was impacted by the bogeys on the par-3 13th hole, where his drive overshot the green and left him to three-putt and at 15. At that par-5, 601-yard hole, his second shot landed in the water.
“I felt like being 6-under through 10, I felt like something special was happening, and I simmered off, but still played some great golf. Surprised that I didn’t go deeper,” he said.
Behind DeChambeau and Howell, Crushers took the team lead at 10-under, three strokes ahead of OKGC. That was a mixed blessing for Howell.
“Well, team-wise, it’s wonderful. Individual-wise, it’s terrible. Team-wise I love him up there at the top. Individually I wish he was at the bottom,” Howell said.
“Obviously Bryson, more weeks than not, he plays extremely well, and if my name is near his, I’m usually doing something pretty good.”
Vincent shot the only bogey-free round of the day to give him a share of the lead for the first time in his LIV career. He is temporarily part of the HyFlyers team in the absence of captain Phil Mickelson.
“I don’t know what it is, but the second I joined them (HyFlyers), my game just went up,” Vincent, of New Zealand, said. “It’s been amazing.”
The three leaders will be paired together on Saturday.
The group that stands two shots back includes Sergio Garcia of Spain and Australia’s Cam Smith.
Jon Rahm of Spain finished at even par Thursday in a tie for 27th.
–Field Level Media
