Matthew Wolff posted a 9-under-par 61 to take the lead on the first day of LIV Golf Greenbrier on Friday in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
The round ties the nascent, Saudi-backed golf league's lowest score on record, originally set by Harold Varner III.
Wolff will carry a two-stroke lead over Varner and David Puig of Spain into the weekend at The Old White course at The Greenbrier resort.
It's a favourable spot for Wolff to occupy not long after some tough public criticism from his Smash GC team captain, Brooks Koepka.
The five-time major champion had called Wolff's work ethic into question, saying he "quit" after Wolff withdrew from a tournament in May prior to the final round citing an undisclosed injury.
At the time, Wolff called Koepka's comments "heartbreaking" amid a season to forget. Since finishing fifth at LIV Golf Orlando, Wolff's last six starts have seen him crack the top 40 just once.
"I didn't really feel like I needed to prove anything to anyone. Just to myself, really," Wolff said on Friday.
"But at the end of the day, it's just golf. I mean, you play bad and then you play good. ... At the end of the day, I'm doing what I can and trying to shoot the lowest score I can every day. I promise, I'm trying."
SA'S BURMESTER TIED FOR FOURTH
Wolff opened his round Friday with a birdie at the par-3 eighth hole and soon rattled off a 5-under, four-hole run – an eagle at the par-5 12th and birdies at Nos. 11, 13 and 14.
After another birdie at No 2, Wolff took his lone bogey of the day at the par-3 third hole before finishing strong with three more birdies over his last four holes.
"It's a really good golf course," Wolff said. "I think it suits really well for me. I like to hit a fade off the tee, and a lot of shots you have to work it that way. I'm really happy with where my game is at right now, but I really like the way the course sets up for me. It's really lush and pure."
Puig had eight birdies and one bogey Friday, while Varner holed an eagle at the par-5 17th hole to go with five birdies.
"That was awesome. I like making eagles, and I'm super fortunate to make a lot of them right now, so enjoy it while it's happening," Varner said.
Cameron Tringale and South African Dean Burmester are tied for fourth at 6-under 64. A massive tie for sixth at 5-under 65 incudes Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Talor Gooch, Joaquin Niemann of Chile and Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa.
Wolff has Smash GC in the lead in the team competition, at 19-under opening-round score thanks to his 9-under plus Koepka's and Jason Kokrak's 5-under rounds.
Torque GC (featuring Niemann and Puig), Stinger GC (with Oosthuizen and Burmester) and RangeGoats GC (led by Varner) are all tied for second at 15 under.
