Spain’s Jon Rahm, Harold Varner III and Belgium’s Thomas Detry are tied for the lead at 17-under entering Sunday’s final round at LIV Golf Hong Kong.
Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and 36-hole co-leaders Dean Burmester of South Africa and Carlos Ortiz of Mexico are two shots behind following Saturday’s third round at Hong Kong Golf Club at Fanling.
Pieters shot the day’s low round of 61 to move into contention.
Rahm, who is looking for his first LIV Golf individual victory since 2024, carded a 5-under 65.
“You have to keep putting yourself in contention and giving yourself chances,” said Rahm, who has started the 2026 season with consecutive runner-up finishes. “As long as I’m doing that, I’m playing good golf, take advantage of the opportunities I get, but it’ll come. As I’m playing solid golf, I’m hoping tomorrow I have a good Sunday and get it done.”
Detry, who posted a 4-under 66 on Saturday, is trying to beat the man who helped him get to the tournament.
Detry was one of seven LIV Golf players who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks last weekend against Iran. Rahm helped to arrange a charter flight to get them all to Hong Kong.
“Well, if it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I’d be here,” Detry said. “It’s a little bit funny that way. But listen, we’re both competitors, and he’s done it for his teammates. He’s done it for the league. It’s amazing what he did, and he’s a good friend of mine, as well. We’ve played a lot of golf as juniors and on the PGA Tour and everywhere together and out here now. I think we’re just going to have a nice competitive fun round tomorrow, and we’ll see who prevails.”
Varner joined Rahm and Detry at the top of the leaderboard with a 7-under 63.
Ortiz and Burmester both posted rounds of 1-under 69, much to Burmester’s dismay.
“I’m gutted,” Burmester said after the round. “I don’t feel like I did too much wrong, honestly. Maybe tried a little too hard. I don’t know. I hit some amazing golf shots out there. I hit some poor ones, probably on the wrong holes. Hit some great shots. I went bogey-free. Just didn’t make any putts. Got to find a way to lift myself up tomorrow and give it a go.”
In the team competition, Smash GC holds a two-stroke lead over 4Aces GC with Rahm’s Legion XIII three shots behind the leaders.
–Field Level Media
