DeChambeau’s eagle on the first was the third time he’s eagled his first hole in a round. Round 2 in Indianapolis 2025 and Round 1 in Mexico City 2025 were the others. 

PHIL BOUNCES BACK: On Thursday, Phil Mickelson made his 2026 LIV Golf season debut after missing the first four events due to a family health matter. Understandably, the HyFlyers GC captain struggled to a 4-over 75 that included both a double-bogey and a triple bogey.  

After shaking off the rust, Mickelson bounced back with a stellar round on Friday. He made four birdies without a single blemish on the scorecard, posting a 4-under 67.  

WILDCARDS STAY HOT: Last week in Singapore, Richard T. Lee almost pulled off the unexpected, with the Canadian taking Bryson DeChambeau to a playoff before missing a two-foot putt to fall just short of LIV Golf history as the league’s first Wild Card winner. This week, a few other Wild Cards continue to show the stacked field that they belong.  

Scott Vincent, from nearby Zimbabwe, and Japan’s Yosuke Asaji both enter the weekend in the top 20. Vincent has posted rounds of 66-68 to sit in a tie for 15th while Asaji went 68-67 and currently has a share of 19th. Asaji, who entered the week as the only player in the league without an eagle, had two eagles in his round.  

“It’s been amazing,” said Vincent of the support he’s received from the fans at Steyn City. “Every fairway people are cheering for me and yelling ‘Zimbo’ for Zimbabwe. Loving it. The support is unreal. I wish I could have more events like this.” 

GUARDING THE LION’S DEN: Steyn City’s signature hole – the 153-yard par-3 17th nicknamed the Lion’s Den – has delivered some electric moments through the first two rounds. On Friday, the Southern Guards protected their home turf by turning the Lion’s Den into target practice. 

Dean Burmester, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace put their tee shots to a combined 8 feet, 2 inches. Burmester and Grace made birdie on the hole, while Schwartzel missed his short putt. Burmester’s shot was only one foot away and the closest of the week so far. 

“That’s top three highlights of my career, I think, especially after hitting a shot like that after all of that is awesome,” Burmester said of his dart into 17. “Yesterday I tried to get them amped up, and I airmailed the green, so today obviously I took less club, and it worked out. It’s a bit of a guessing game with adrenaline pumping through your veins.” 

“The good thing about 17 is you can control your nerve to be able to hit a golf shot like that,” explained Grace. “It was just such a perfect distance. It was 141 yards, a little down off the left, and it was just a stock standard wedge, didn’t have to do anything special. It was more really just backing yourself to aim a little left because of the wind direction. It was phenomenal to be able to hit a golf shot like that under that pressure and then to see the crowd go absolutely bonkers.” 

Louis Oosthuizen put his shot to 18 feet, 9 inches and made par. 

NUMBER 22: When he reached the 17th hole, Southern Guards’ Dean Burmester put on the new kit released Friday by South Africa’s national football (soccer) team, Bafana Bafana. Burmester explained why he opted for No. 22 on the back of his jersey.

“So, 22. Two when I was growing up was my favorite number, and then I met my wife, and then two became her favorite number, and then 22 became our favorite number because we’re two twos,” Burmester said. “So we got married on the 22nd of the 11th month, and everything is kind of divisible by two. When I played cricket, I always used to bowl two. I bowled second. I always had two on my jersey, and it became 22 when we became more than one person, so it’s a pretty cool sentimental thing.”