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LIV Golf United Kingdom Round 1 - Recap from Rocester as leader Lucas Herbert cards 61 for a three-shot lead
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Updated 23/07/2026 at 18:32 GMT+1
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The 2026 LIV Golf season resumes in the United Kingdom on Thursday. League leader Jon Rahm could seal his third successive Individual Championship weekend with victory, providing his nearest challenger Bryson DeChambeau finishes in third place or lower in Staffordshire come Sunday. Play begins at 13:15 UK time.
Watch: DeChambeau 'very sorry' after almost hitting Poulter with wayward drive
Video credit: TNT Sports
The 2026 LIV Golf season continues in the United Kingdom with the 10th event of the campaign, at JCB Golf & Country Club in Rocester.
League leader Jon Rahm has the chance to seal a third successive Individual Championship this weekend. This live blog covers action from day one.
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LIV Golf United Kingdom 2026 live comments
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Let's get some reaction from first-round leader Lucas Herbert
Teams Leaderboard
-19 Ripper GC
-15 Crushers GC
-8 OKGC, Legion XIII
-4 Korean Golf Club
-3 Fireballs GC, Majesticks Golf Club
-2 Southern Guards GC, 4Aces GC
-1 Cleeks Golf Club, RangeCoats Golf Club, HyFlyers GC, Torque GC
Players Leaderboard
-11 Lucas Herbert
-8 Bryson DeChambeau
-6 Harold Varner III, Tyrrell Hatton
-5 Byeong Hun An, Richard T. Lee
-4 Luis Masaveu, Abraham Ancer, Charles Howell III, Marc Leishman, Ian Poulter, Scott Vincent, Caleb Surratt, Bjorn Hellgren, Anirban Lahiri
DeChambeau finishes at eight-under
The two-time major winner cards an opening round of 64, which leaves him three shots behind leader Herbert.
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Bryson DeChambeau
Image credit: Getty Images
Varner III takes a share of third
The American's best performance of this season saw him finish fourth in Hong Kong.
As things stand, though, he's on course to better that with a 17-foot birdie completing his round at six-under - level with Hatton in a tie for third place.
As first rounds go
Just short from Herbert
The leader's 11-foot birdie attempt just pulls up at the wrong moment, denying him a round of 60.
Nevertheless, he rolls in for par to complete a bogey-free first round at 11-under.
Following a record-equaling 62 at The Open last week, it's safe to say he's in tip-top form at the moment!
What a difference a year makes
Niemann triumphed at JCB 12 months ago, and was six-under after the opening day.
However, a double-bogey and four more bogeys later, the defending champion's first round finishes at one-over, leaving him way off the pace.
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Joaquin Niemann
Image credit: Getty Images
Like two peas in a pod
The flag thwarts a Herbert 59
Granted, it was ambitious, but the leader needed to find the hole with his approach from distance to complete a round of 59.
In the end, though, he's very unlucky to clip the top of the flag and the ball continues its journey, rather than hogging it.
DeChambeau drops a shot
He does so after a difficult 16th, following which he has to settle for a bogey.
That puts Herbert three shots to the good once more.
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Bryson DeChambeau
Image credit: Getty Images
Consistency
Following a nightmare streak of four bogeys in five holes, Rahm has managed to steady the ship with two birdies and four straight pars.
Nevertheless, he's way back on one-over, so it will take some effort to force himself into title contention this weekend.
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Jon Rahm
Image credit: Getty Images
Not quite
The birdie on the 17th eludes Herbert as he just misses a delicate 13-footer.
Nevertheless, he can still finish with 60 with a birdie on the last.
Anything you can do
DeChambeau moves within a shot of Herbert, as an 11-foot birdie moves him to nine-under.
However, the Australian quickly regains his two-shot buffer, holing his own birdie from 11 feet.
Lee up to third
Richard T. Lee, who chipped in for a birdie at the start of the day, is finishing strongly.
Three birdies in his last four holes move him up to third on six-under.
Two in it
Three birdies in a row for DeChambeau, who applies the pressure by holing from nine feet on the 14th.
He's human
Herbert narrowly misses a 13-foot putt for another birdie on the 15th.
He has to settle for par on this occasion.
Masaveu moves up to third
The Spaniard continues his impressive day's work.
A birdie at the third moves him outright third on six-under with three to play.
Back comes Bryson
A birdie at the 13th keeps DeChambeau within three shots of Herbert.
What pressure?
Herbert goes 10-under
The leader makes no mistake from four feet for his eighth birdie of the day!
Three more needed for the 59...
Could he?
Record in his sights
Now on nine-under, Herbert is now one birdie away from equaling the best first-round result in this year's LIV Golf season.
The 10-under in question was shot by Carlos Ortiz in Hong Kong, albeit his final score was 60.
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Lucas Herbert
Image credit: Getty Images
Three-shot lead restored
Back-to-back birdies from Herbert just give him that extra cushion once again with five to play.
Fore, Bryson!
Having nearly hit Poulter earlier, DeChambeau almost suffers the same fate on the 15th!
The rogue ball isn't quite as close on this occasion, but still enough for him to jump off the tee and take time to regain his focus.
DeChambeau closes the gap
The winner in Singapore and South Africa this season birdies the 12th to just apply the pressure on Herbert.
A superb drive on the par four left him within eight yards of the pin!
Lovely shot, Cam!
Herbert goes three clear
Despite finding the rough from the tee, the Australian plays a brilliant recovery shot to set up a birdie.
It gives him a three-shot cushion over DeChambeau after 11 holes.
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Lucas Herbert
Image credit: Getty Images
Three in a row
Cameron Smith has suddenly pushed himself into contention with a run of three straight birdies between the 10th and 12th.
Poulter has done the same, putting both players on five-under and lifting them to joint-second.
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Cameron Smith
Image credit: Getty Images
ICYMI
Poor Ian Poulter must feel like he can't catch a break!
Already playing with a torn meniscus that requires off-season surgery, things could've been much worse here...
On a brighter note, though, he's moved himself up into a six-way tie for fourth.
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Watch: DeChambeau 'very sorry' after almost hitting Poulter with wayward drive
Video credit: TNT Sports
The early pacesetter
Rahm in ruins
Remember, he had the opportunity to wrap up the Individual Championship this weekend.
Barring the most spectacular of turnarounds, though, he will have to wait until New York at the very least.
Indeed, Rahm has bogeyed four times in the opening 10 holes.
And there's another
It's a second of the day for Hatton, who chips in from 22 yards to move tied-second with DeChambeau!
The eagle has landed
And it's a beauty from Herbert, who's fresh from that record-equalling second-round 62 at The Open last weekend.
The Aussie superbly holes from 47 feet on the 10th to pull two shots clear of DeChambeau.
Ancer to your question
Abraham Ancer finished third in Andalucia last time out.
As things stand, he's set to match that here, after a fourth birdie of the day puts him in a tie for third place.
So far so good
More Spanish success?
It's a good time for Spanish sport, with their football team fresh from winning the World Cup last weekend.
With Rahm struggling to get going here in Rocester, youngster Luis Masaveu is flying the Spanish flag the highest at the moment.
The 23-year-old is four-under after eight holes.
DeChambeau shares the lead once more
The American sinks from 12 feet with conviction for a birdie on the eighth.
Once again, he moves joint-top of the leaderboard with Herbert.
Poles apart
Adrian Meronk, who finished tied-seventh here last season, has been quietly going about his business.
The Pole hits his fourth birdie of the day on the 15th to move onto four-under, in a tie for second place.
Herbert regains the lead
Only Rahm has registered more birdies than Herbert during this year's LIV Golf.
The Aussie's fifth of the round from 13 feet on the eighth gives him the sole lead.
Another bogey for Rahm
It's been one of those rounds so far for the Individual Championship leader.
Trying to save par on the eighth, he's extremely unlucky to see the ball drifts inches away from the hole.
Howell III boosts hopes
The 639-yard 13th is the longest hole here in Rocester.
Nevertheless, the American does well to get up and down for a birdie that also moves him onto four-under.
He matches DeChambeau, Leishman and Herbert.
Leishman leaps into contention
The Australian hits his fourth birdie of the day on the 12th, sinking from seven feet for a share of the lead.
Well-rescued by Rahm
It's a nightmare seventh hole for the Individual Championship leader, who ends up in the thick rough and takes four shots to get to the green.
However, he manages to escape with just a bogey after holing from 11 feet.
Fore!
That could've been nasty for Poulter on the seventh!
A lapse in communication sees him almost feel the full force of DeChambeau's slightly wayward tee shot.
The ball came within whiskers of connecting with Poulter, who is understandably a little shocked by the recent events.
Nevertheless, he recovers his composure for a birdie that puts him on two-under for the round.
Watch: DeChambeau 'very sorry' after almost hitting Poulter with wayward drive
Video credit: TNT Sports
Eagle for DeChambeau
He delivers on the 509-yard par-five sixth, with a superb tee shot and approach setting up a routine eagle putt.
It gives him a share of the lead with Herbert and Hellgren, who recovers with a birdie on the 17th.
All change at the top
Herbert moves onto four-under after sinking a 14-foot birdie on the sixth.
Meanwhile, Hellgren bogeys the 16th to surrender the lead.
Easy eagle
A stunning 310-yard approach set up this eagle for Sam Horsfield on the second.
However, a couple of bogeys followed, leaving him on even after five.
To the inch
What about that from Dean Burmester a little earlier on?
The South African has recorded five top-10 finishes this season.
Approaches like that will stake his claim for another here.
Hellgren holds the lead
Wildcard Bjorn Hellgren is upsetting the form book early on.
Despite a best finish this season of tied-22nd in Riyadh, four birdies in the opening five holes have put him top of the leaderboard.
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Bjorn Hellgren
Image credit: Getty Images
"Oh my God"
You can hear Rahm's frustration when his nine-foot birdie putt on the fifth appears to turn right at the last minute.
He remains on even par.
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Jon Rahm
Image credit: Getty Images
Rahm's recovery on the third
On the money
Check out this superb approach from Hatton to set up his eagle.
Rippers two shots up
The Rippers - aided by Herbert and Leishman's strong starts - are two shots ahead of the Crushers on the team leaderboard after the opening four holes.
Occupying second place and looking to close the gap on leaders Legion XIII, they are also eyeing a third event win of the season, adding to their triumphs in Riyadh and Adelaide.
Rahm rescues par on the fourth
The Spaniard does so in fine fashion with a well-judged putt from 14 feet.
He's three shots adrift already, but there's still plenty of time for that to change.
Kokrak comes out swinging
The 41-year-old hasn't made too much of an impact this season, a tied-17th finish in Adelaide his best.
Nevertheless, he's been quick out of the blocks here.
Eagle for Hatton
The LIV Golf Andalucia winner notches his seventh of the season on the third.
Inches away
DeChambeau comes within whiskers of his 10th eagle this season on the third.
He has to settle for a birdie, but still holds a share of the lead with Herbert.
Bryson Derulo?
He'll hope he's Ridin' Solo when it comes to winning this event...
Westwood into his stride
Another birdie for DeChambeau
The two-time U.S. Open champion confidently converts on the second to continue his strong start.
Birdie for Rahm
The league leader gets back on track at the second hole, after losing a shot on the first.
LIV Golf United Kingdom LIVE - Back-to-back birdies
There's still plenty of golf to be played, of course, but we have four early pacesetters after the opening two holes.
Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman, Bjorn Hellgren and Harold Varner III have all started with consecutive birdies.
LIV Golf United Kingdom LIVE - DeChambeau opens with a birdie
This season's winner in Singapore and South Africa must perform well this weekend to keep his Individual Championship hopes alive.
He makes a solid start at the first.
LIV Golf United Kingdom LIVE - Solid starts for Johnson and Niemann
Inaugural Individual Championship winner Johnson and reigning LIV Golf United Kingdom champion Niemann both open with birdies.
They will hope to be in contention for glory come Sunday.
LIV Golf United Kingdom LIVE - A bogey for Rahm
The Spaniard can't quite recover from his difficult start, missing a tricky putt to save par.
Home favourite
Incredibly, Ian Poulter has never triumphed on English soil during his fine career.
The former Ryder Cup star would love to put that right this weekend.
He's just gone within inches of opening with a birdie, but eventually has to settle for par.
LIV Golf United Kingdom LIVE - Lee chips in
A brilliant start on the par-three 17th from Richard T. Lee.
The Canadian, who finished second in Singapore, chips in from the edge of the green for an early birdie.
LIV Golf United Kingdom LIVE - Rahm finds the bunker
Not an ideal start for the Individual Championship leader, as his opening tee shot drifts to the right and into the sand.
You'd expect him to recover from there, mind.
LIV Golf United Kingdom LIVE - Shotgun start
This is it! The waiting is over, and we are under way in Rocester!
Abraham Ancer had his eye in yesterday
LIV Golf United Kingdom LIVE - It's almost time
Check out this tee marker
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LIV Golf United Kingdom tee marker
Image credit: Getty Images
Third time lucky
LIV Golf United Kingdom returns to the JCB Golf & Country Club for a third successive season.
It's the seventh different venue to host three or more tournaments in the league.
The course rewards strategy and precision over power, so driving accuracy will be an important factor over the next few days.
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JCB Golf & Country Club
Image credit: Getty Images
Last time out
It feels like ages since the most recent LIV Golf event in Andalucia, where Tyrrell Hatton came out on top.
Here's a reminder of what happened...
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Highlights: Hatton makes it clean sweep in Andalucia
Video credit: TNT Sports
Fireballs fits
LIV Golf United Kingdom LIVE - Round 1 Groupings
The three-peat is on
League leader Jon Rahm could be crowned Individual Championship winner for the third successive year this weekend.
Here's what needs to happen...
LIV Golf United Kingdom LIVE - Round 1
Good afternoon everyone and welcome to live text updates of the LIV Golf United Kingdom event.
It's the 10th tournament of the 2026 season, and will be played at the JCB Golf & Country Club in Rocester, Staffordshire.
How to watch and stream LIV Golf
You can watch every round of the LIV Golf season live on TNT Sports. It is available both live and on-demand on HBO Max.
Here is the TNT Sports schedule and TV guide.
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