Caleb Surratt, Martin Kaymer and Adrian Meronk tied for lead after first-round of LIV Golf Houston
- Perla Paredes Hernandez
- Jun 6, 2024
- 2 min read
It wasn't that long ago that Caleb Surratt was winning the SEC title as a 19-year-old freshman at Tennessee.
Friday, he was tied for the lead after the first round of LIV Golf Houston with Martin Kaymer and Adrian Meronk at 7 under par at the Golf Club of Houston.
“I definitely think I've underachieved for the goals that I set coming into the Tour, but I also underestimated some of the stuff that I would have to learn,” said Surratt, who turned pro and signed with the LIV tour in January. “One of the things I'm starting to learn is shifting a lot of my focus away from results.”
The results were fine as the field played in the heat and humidity Friday when it felt like 101 during the round as LIV Golf made it's Houston debut.
“I didn't have to face a ton of adversity on the golf course,” said Surratt, who is ranked 31st on the LIV tour. “But I feel like in this heat you're facing adversity from hour one to hour five.”
Surratt, who started on hole No. 8 in the shotgun format, birdied six of his first nine holes.
Kaymer, who hasn't won in the U.S. since taking the U.S. Open in 2014, birdied four in a row on holes 1-4, and finished with birdies on 11 and 12 to share the lead.
Kaymer and Meronk both play on the Cleeks GC in the team format used on the LIV tour. Cleeks GC has the team lead at 17 under. Kalle Samooja, the other scoring member of the team, shot 3 under.
Joaquin Niemann, Jon Rahm, and Dean Burmester — the top three in the LIV standings this season— had mixed results Friday.
Niemann, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Open last week, is tied for third at 5 under and just missed a few other birdie putts.
“I am pretty happy, it was (frustrating), I could have dug up pretty low today,” Niemann said. “But it's still a good round... to get in a good weekend and get those putts to drop.”
Rahm, who started on No. 3, had a double bogey on 18 when he hit in the water to finish at 3 under. Burmester finished at even par.
Houston-area resident Patrick Reed, who has three top-20 finishes this season, started off strong with birdies on the first two holes. He finished at 5 under with a bogey on No. 4 as the only blemish on his scorecard.
"The game was solid today, I wouldn't say it was spectacular,” Reed said. “I (know) what I need to do... and hopefully have a good run this weekend and have a chance to run these guys down...the support (in Houston) gives that extra energy for me to go out and play well.”
By Perla Paredes Hernandez, Staff writer
June 7, 2024
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