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- The American golfer will be vying to become the first US winner of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series
- The upstart circuit has plunged the golf world into turmoil, with the established US PGA Tour and DP World Tour scrambling to prevent their star players from jumping ship
NEW YORK: Talor Gooch rolled in a birdie bomb at the penultimate hole on Saturday to grab a one-stroke lead over Joaquin Niemann of Chile heading into the final round of the LIV Golf Invitational Boston.
America鈥檚 Gooch, who had top-10 finishes in the first three events of the controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series, had six birdies and a bogey in his five-under par 65 at International Golf Club and led the 48-man field on 12-under.
Niemann, one of six new recruits for this week鈥檚 tournament 鈥� a group led by second-ranked British Open champion Cameron Smith 鈥� also had six birdies and a bogey in a 65 that put him 11-under.
鈥淚t was an unbelievable round,鈥� said Niemann, who said Friday he had 鈥渁 blast鈥� playing his debut round in the series that promises 鈥淕olf, but louder鈥� for what it insists will be a new wave of fans.
The upstart circuit has plunged the golf world into turmoil, with the established US PGA Tour and DP World Tour scrambling to prevent their star players from jumping ship to a circuit that offers massive purses of $25 million for it鈥檚 54-hole events as well as reported signing bonuses for big-name players.
The signing of Australia鈥檚 Smith earlier this week was the biggest coup so far for the series.
Smith, one off the lead to start Saturday鈥檚 round, fired a one-under par 69 that featured a double bogey and two bogeys.
But the 29-year-old Aussie closed on a high note with an eagle at the 18th, set up by a second shot over a stand of trees straight toward the flag.
His seven-under total had him tied for eighth, five shots off the lead going into the final round.
Gooch used a methodical approach as he shook off an opening bogey to work his way to the lead.
鈥淥ut here it鈥檚 about hitting the fairways,鈥� Gooch said. 鈥淚 know for me I鈥檓 going to score better from the fairways. If that means laying back, that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 going to do.鈥�
Gooch will be vying to become the first US winner of a LIV Golf event. Former world number one Dustin Johnson was also poised to strike for that title after a seven-under par 63 that put him third on 10-under.