Smylie, Uihlein tied for lead in Riyadh entering first-ever fourth round in LIV Golf history

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – LIV Golf enters unchartered territory Saturday at ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh, and the historic occasion likely will be accompanied by a good, old-fashioned final-round shootout on both the team and individual leaderboards. 

The league’s first 72-hole regular-season tournament, part of the significant format adjustments made for the 2026 season, concludes with Saturday night’s fourth round at Riyadh Golf Club. New LIV Golf player Elvis Smylie of Ripper GC and original league member Peter Uihlein of RangeGoats GC are tied for the lead at 16 under. Smash GC’s Talor Gooch is just a shot back, the closest pursuer of the 17 players who are within six shots of the co-leaders. 

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In the team competition, Torque GC – fueled by the twin 7-under 65s by Mexican Olympic teammates Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz – are at 46 under, two shots ahead of Smash, which is seeking to deliver a victory to Gooch on his debut as captain. Ripper, eyeing next week’s home tournament at LIV Golf Adelaide, is another shot back. 

Had the tournament been played under the old 54-hole format, Uihlein and Smylie would have had to settle things in a playoff Friday. But now the leaders and contenders get 18 more holes to crown a champion. 

“Yeah, thanks for bringing that up,” laughed Uihlein, who has appeared in all 51 LIV Golf tournaments and is seeking his first league individual title. “I feel like 72 holes fits me a little better. If you would have told me at the beginning of the week, hey, you’d be tied for the lead after 54 and you have a chance to win, that’s where you’d want to be. I’d take it. Looking forward to the challenge tomorrow.”

The 23-year-old Smylie is making his first LIV Golf start after joining the all-Australian Rippers last month, so he never competed under the 54-hole format. But he is looking to send a message to his new competitors. He said he was in “total control” of his shots during Friday’s bogey-free 7-under 65. 

“Without a doubt, I want to prove my worth in this league, and I want to establish myself as one of the best guys in this league,” the left-hander said. “The best way to do that is by going out and making a statement this week.” 

Ancer is among the group of players who now get a fourth round to chase a LIV Golf trophy instead of having to be satisfied with a high finish. The new Torque player won his first LIV Golf individual title two years ago in the 54-hole format while playing for Fireballs GC. He welcomes the opportunity to have an extra 18 holes to claim a second title. 

“I feel like 54 holes was good enough to figure out who’s playing the best golf,” said Ancer, whose 65 was highlighted by a 50-foot plus eagle putt. “You just feel like it’s a little bit more of a sprint, have a little bit less time for you to make mistakes and come back from them. But then playing 72 holes, you feel like if you’re a steady player, that would maybe help you rise to the top of the leaderboard.” 

Two of the steadiest LIV Golf players are Gooch and Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm, who’ve combined to win the last three season-long Individual Championships. They’ve each celebrated 13 trophies (individual and team success), tying for the most in league history, and remain in contention for more hardware thanks to the additional fourth round. 

Gooch, who follows the Rule of 67 – everything takes care of itself by shooting 67 or better – shot his third consecutive 67 as he seeks a fifth individual tournament title. Rahm shot his second 67 of the week and is tied for fourth with Ancer and 4Aces GC’s Thomas Detry, who – like Smylie – is making his league debut in Riyadh. 

Despite increased winds and rainy weather on Friday, with players expecting the tougher conditions to impact scoring, the field shot its lowest average of the week, nearly 3-1/2 strokes under par during a lively third-round Moving Day. 

“It didn’t feel like it was easier than yesterday, but everyone went low,” said Uihlein, who opened his round with four consecutive birdies en route to a 66. “I’m expecting it to be a shootout, but we could come out here tomorrow and it’s blowing 15, 20 again, so you never know.” 

Added Ancer: “I felt like the scores weren’t going to be low, and then I got off to a really hot start and I was like, ‘Ooh, I’m going to be way up there,' and then I’m like, ‘Damn, everybody is shooting really low.’ That was surprising. I guess it doesn’t matter what the weather does. It feels like we need to make a lot of birdies tomorrow.”

TOP OF THE LEADERBOARDS 

Individual Top 10

T1 (-16) – Elvis Smylie, Ripper (66-69-65), Peter Uihlein, RangeGoats (65-69-66)

3 (-15) – Talor Gooch, Smash (67-67-67)

T4 (-14) – Jon Rahm, Legion XIII (67-68-67), Abraham Ancer, Torque (68-69-65), Thomas Detry, 4Aces (65-69-68)

T7 (-13) – Jason Kokrak, Smash (71-64-68), David Puig, Fireballs (69-67-67), Thomas Pieters, 4Aces (70-68-65)

T10 (-12) – Sebastián Muñoz, Torque (67-68), Byeong Hun An (67-70-67)

Team Top 3 

1 (-46) – Torque GC (Ancer 65, Ortiz 65, Muñoz 69, Niemann 70; Rd. 3 score: -19)

2 (-44) – Smash GC (Gooch 67, Kokrak 68, McDowell 68, Varner III 71; Rd. 3 score: -14)

3 (-43) – Ripper GC (Herbert 65, Smylie 65, Leishman 68, Smith 68; Rd. 3 score: -22) 

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ROUND 3 NOTES 

SMYLIE FITTING IN WITH RIPPERS: It’s only the first tournament week with his new team, but Elvis Smylie already is feeling the warm embrace of his fellow Australians on Ripper GC, captained by his friend and mentor Cameron Smith and including Marc Leishman   and Lucas Herbert. 

“Yeah, we’ve had a lot of fun,” Smylie said. “I think what the Rippers stand for is a really strong mate-ship amongst the group, especially with all the staff members as well. I’ve known Cam for quite a long time now, and same for Leish and Herby. It’s just really cool being around them because golf can be quite an isolating sport. To be able to be in a team environment where you’re constantly learning off each, I’m really enjoying that part.” 

Smylie and his fellow Rippers will undoubtedly enjoy next week’s home tournament, LIV Golf Adelaide, with record crowds expected for the four days.

UIHLEIN’S FLASHLIGHT: For the second consecutive year, Peter Uihlein and his caddie Zach Guthrie have used a flashlight to help them with the shadows cast by the course lights used for the nighttime tournament in Riyadh. It’s obviously paid off this week as Uihlein heads into the final round tied for the lead. 

“The flashlight is used to just illuminate all or most of the other shadows and then just have one direct light source that allows me to read the greens a little bit easier,” Uihlein explained. “We’ll (also) use it in the fairway, out of the rough, just to see the lie, if it’s into the grain or how it’s sitting. Sometimes it’s dark and sometimes you’re sitting there looking at the ball in the rough and it’s like, man, it looks like it’s pretty buried – and then put a flashlight on it, and it’s like, no, it’s sitting up pretty nice. So, we’re using it quite frequently, to be honest with you.” 

He’s even tried to convince some of his fellow LIV Golf players to employ the flashlight. “I don’t know if they’re doing it,” he said. “But it might not have worked for them.”

ANCER ON NEW KOREAN CAPTAIN: Abraham Ancer and Byeong Hun An were teammates on the 2019 Presidents Cup team, but they haven’t seen much of each other after Ancer joined LIV Golf. But with An joining the league as the new captain of the rebranded Korean Golf Club, Ancer got a chance at a reunion while playing in the same group Friday.

“He’s a great player,” Ancer said. “He’s fun to be around. I think he’s going to be a leader for the Korean Golf Club.”

An already is making an impact, tied for 10th going into the final round.

ELVIS’ WALKUP SONG: Elvis Smylie was named after legendary showman Elvis Presley, so no surprise that his walk-up song when he tees off Saturday on hole No. 1 will be the Presley hit, “A Little Less Conversation.”

WILD CARD CONTENDERS: LIV Golf Promotions winner Richard Lee, the league’s first Canadian player, shot a 5-under 67 on Friday and is tied for 13th at 10 under. International Series champion Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe is also at 10 under after a 68. They both have a chance to produce the best finish by any LIV Golf wild card player. Last year, Chieh-Po Lee tied for 12th at LIV Golf Hong Kong, the current best result by any Wild Card.

LA SASSO UPDATE: The league’s youngest player, 21-year-old Michael La Sasso, shot a 5-under 67, his lowest round this week as he makes his professional debut as a member of HyFlyers GC. La Sasso is at 7 under and tied for 31st, and he has the longest drive of the week, 341.2 yards on the 10th hole in the first round.

DOUBLE ENDS PUIG’S STREAK: Fireballs GC's David Puig arrived at his final hole, the par-4 first, riding a LIV Golf-record 76 consecutive par-4 holes with par or better, a streak that stretched back to last season. But an errant tee shot, followed by an approach shot that went out of bounds, led to a double bogey. Not only did the streak end, but the young Fireballs GC star dropped from third into a tie for seventh at 13 under. 

ROUND 3 STATS LEADERS 

Driving Distance: Dean Burmester, 317.3-yard avg.

Longest Drive: Matthew Wolff, 340.5 yards (10th hole)

Driving Accuracy: Elvis Smylie, 85.71% (12 of 14)

Greens in Regulation: Peter Uihlein, Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Younghan Song, 88.89% (16 of 18)

Scrambling: 16 players at 100%, led by Byeong Hun An (8 of 8)

Fewest Putts: Thomas Pieters, Byeong Hun An, Carlos Ortiz, Richard T. Lee, Cameron Tringale, 24

Bogey-free rounds: Elvis Smylie (65), Lucas Herbert (65), Tom McKibbin (65), Younghan Song (66), Josele Ballester (66), Byeong Hun An (67), Paul Casey (67), Talor Gooch (67), Jason Kokrak (68), Anthony Kim (69), Charles Howell III (70)

Cumulative Thru 3 Rounds

Driving Distance: Dean Burmester, 310.7-yard avg.

Driving Accuracy: Tom McKibbin, 71.43% (30 of 42)

Greens in Regulation: David Puig, 88.89% (48 of 54)

Scrambling: Byeong Hun An (17 of 17), Paul Casey (7 of 7), 100%

Fewest Putts: Brendan Steele, 78