Richard T. Lee surged to the top of the leaderboard after the opening round of LIV Golf Promotions, leading a strong Asian Tour contingent into Round 2 as the high-stakes battle for LIV Golf cards intensified in Florida.<\/p>\n
The 2024 BNI Indonesian Masters champion carded a flawless, bogey-free six-under-par 64 to take the outright lead on day one, comfortably advancing among the top 20 players who progressed to Round 2 of the elimination-format event.<\/p>\n
Lee\u2019s sharp start continues a run of consistency across The International Series in 2025, where he posted a fifth-place finish at International Series Macau presented by Wynn, a top-10 result at International Series India presented by DLF, and top-20 finishes at both the Jakarta International Championships and the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.<\/p>\n
On a demanding course that placed a premium on precision, Lee leaned on strong ball-striking and timely putting to separate himself from the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a tough course,\u201d he said. \u201cYou really have to drive it well, and the greens are very undulated. I found a lot of fairways, placed my ball in good positions on the greens, and managed to hole a few putts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Four of Lee\u2019s birdies came over his closing six holes, a stretch he credited to a confident putter heating up at the right time.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy putting definitely came together late,\u201d he explained. \u201cI wasn\u2019t hitting it super close all day, but I made some key putts \u2014 10- to 15-footers, and one around 30 feet. Those putts were right in the middle, which felt great.\u201d<\/p>\n
While a first-round lead provides momentum, Lee remains mindful of the unique elimination format, with scores resetting ahead of Round 2.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s only the first round,\u201d he said. \u201cFinishing first always feels good, but everything resets tomorrow. The focus is the same, hit fairways, place the ball on the right side of the greens, and let good golf take care of itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just two shots back, Asian Tour winners Sadom Kaewkanjana and Suteepat Prateeptienchai led the chasing pack, finishing tied second on four-under-par 66 to underline the depth of talent progressing from Asia\u2019s leading tours.<\/p>\n
Sadom, a former LIV Golf League player, credited a disciplined approach and familiarity with the conditions for his fast start. \u201cI played very solid today,\u201d said the Thai star. \u201cI hit 16 greens in regulation and everything felt good overall. The game plan worked well, so I\u2019m just looking to keep that going tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Competing in the United States remains a rare but motivating experience for Sadom, who has spent the majority of his career in Asia. \u201cI\u2019m really excited to be playing in the U.S. because most of my golf has been in Asia,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity for me, so I tried to bring good energy out there today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having featured during LIV Golf\u2019s inaugural season in 2022, Sadom is determined to earn his way back onto the League. \u201cLIV Golf is the biggest golf league in the world and has so many great players,\u201d he said. \u201cPlaying in 2022 gave me amazing experience competing alongside the best, and that really motivates me to try and get back again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thai players featured prominently on the leaderboard, something Sadom attributed to familiar playing conditions. \u201cThe grass and the weather are very similar to Thailand \u2014 it\u2019s hot and humid, so we don\u2019t need much adjustment,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead to Round 2, the focus will be on precision rather than aggression. \u201cI want to hit more fairways,\u201d Sadom added. \u201cTomorrow the course will be tougher, so that will be very important.\u201d<\/p>\n
A host of Asian Tour and International Series players joined Lee, Sadom and Suteepat in advancing to Round 2, reinforcing the Tours\u2019 growing influence on the global stage. Those progressing included Hongtaek Kim (66), Austen Truslow (67), Dominic Foos (67), Sarit Suwannarut (67), Travis Smyth (68), Poom Saksansin (68), Pavit Tangkamolprasert (69) and Tomoyo Ikemura (69).<\/p>\n
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