VARNER CONFIDENT AFTER RD. 1 AT INT'L SERIES MACAU

LIV Golf League star Harold Varner III is known for his big personality, and that attitude seems the perfect fit for the glitz and glamour of Macau. After a mixed first round, the American is eager to put on one of his better displays to match the surroundings in the International Series Macau presented by Wynn.

The 4Aces Golf Club star was 1-over through 11 holes, after a run of nine straight pars and one bogey at the turn. But the 33-year-old put together four birdies in the last six holes to bounce back and get to 3-under 67, just four shots off leader Li Haotong of China and behind a huge chasing pack at the Macau Golf & Country Club.

Varner got the season underway with a tough finish at El Camaleon Golf Course at LIV Golf Mayakoba. He is hoping to keep trending in the right direction after a T-15 at LIV Golf Hong Kong last weekend.

“That was good considering I was one over just after the turn – I really got to get going a little faster, I would say," Varner said. "That’s golf though. I played pretty well in Hong Kong so I have got to keep up that momentum. I’m really loving my golf right now, I’ve been working on doing good things and I have to trust that process and keep going.”

Varner clearly likes the international vibe of the Asian Tour. Aside from last week’s T-15 at Fanling, he carded a sublime 62 and two consecutive 66s last year on his way to a top-10 finish in the Hong Kong Open.

He also won the Australian PGA Championship in 2016 and the PIF Saudi International in 2022 with a monster eagle putt on the last.

He can’t quite put his finger on the good form, however he has credited The International Series for "keeping him sharp".

“I think it is awesome," Varner said. "It gives great opportunities, but you have got to play well. A lot of LIV guys are coming over and it is good for me – it keeps me from being lazy. It keeps me sharp, I just have to do my thing and keep travelling – another country knocked off.”

Reflecting on his goals, he added: “If I play like I did on the back nine, I can do really well. Play well and keep doing the good things. ... I finished dead last in my first tournament this season but I’m trending and I have got to keep going.”