Canadian Richard T. Lee continued to have the sharpest game at the LIV Golf Promotions event, taking a two-shot lead into the final day at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Fla.
Lee, who led after the first day Thursday before scores were reset for the final 36 holes on Saturday and Sunday, shot a 6-under 64 on Saturday after rounds of 64 and 66. He birdied par-4 holes Nos. 2, 7 12, 14 and 15 as well as the par-5 No. 9 in his bogey-free round on Saturday.
“Honestly, I don’t think it would be comfortable for any player to have a two-shot lead on the last day,” said Lee, who has two eagles, 13 birdies and just one bogey in his 54 competitive holes this week that included advancing out of both the first and second rounds. “I’ll just put my hat on and just play my golf.”
Lee has carded two eagles, 13 birdies and a lone bogey in 54 holes this week.
A three-way tie for second at 4-under consists of American Anthony Kim, South Africa’s Oliver Bekker and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond.
Kim posted the other bogey-free round of the day, which featured birdies at Nos. 9, 13, 14 and 16.
Bekker’s round included a bogey at 14 and birdies at Nos. 3, 9, 13, 16 and 18. Janewattanond bogeyed the par-4 No. 3 as well as No. 10 but countered with birdies at No. 4, 5, 7, 9, 13 and 16.
The top three finishers at the four-round event will be awarded full-season, wild-card spots for the 2026 LIV Golf League season, and each of the top 10 finishers plus ties will be exempt for the 2026 International Series co-sponsored by the Asian Tour.
Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark carded a 3-under 67 to be alone in fifth. A two-time winner on the DP World Tour, he said earning full-time LIV Golf status would change his career.
“Where I am in my career right now,” the 34-year-old said, “it’s probably that or retirement. Yeah, that would mean a lot for sure.”
Kim was among several players who received an exemption into the second round, while others began Thursday with a play-in round. The former wunderkind from California, now 40, returned from a 12-year hiatus from the game (2012-24) when he competed on the LIV circuit as a wild card in 2024, and again in 2025.
But he was relegated at the end of the 2025 season and is trying to earn his way back.
“I have an opportunity to get one of those spots,” said Kim, the only American to advance to the weekend, said on Saturday. “That’s what I asked for coming into this week and put myself in good position. Now I’ve just got to go finish.”
Kim made an 8-foot birdie putt on his final hole Friday to make the cut on the number and make the 22-player field for the weekend.
–Field Level Media
