LIV Golf Notebook: Players, Fans Pause for Victims of Thai Massacre

A moment of silence was observed and black ribbons worn after what is being described as Thailand's deadliest rampage.

BANGKOK — Prior to the start at the LIV Golf Invitational event that began Friday at Stonehill Golf Course, a moment of silence was observed for victims of the Thai school shooting that occurred on Thursday.

A former police officer killed at least 36 people at a school care center located some 300 miles from Bangkok. Among those killed were at least 24 children according to the New York Times.

Panya Khamrab, 34, was identified as the gunman, who before taking his own life killed his wife and child. The mass shooting is being described as the deadliest ever in Thailand.

LIV Golf players including Cameron Smith wore black ribbons on Friday :: Kittinun Rodsupan/USA TODAY Sports

Before the beginning of the tournament Friday, all players, personnel and spectators stood in silence in honor of the victims. Black ribbons were also passed out to spectators and players.

Rankings Rebuke

The LIV Golf Invitational Series remains committed to getting world golf rankings for its players, and its incorporation into the MENA Tour as a way of doing so did not work—yet. LIV officials believe their association with MENA, which is an accredited world rankings tour, will help them achieve the goal.

The OWGR released a statement saying that the new arrangement is “under review’’ and that a decision would not be forthcoming before next week’s tournament in Jeddah.

“I don’t think it really was much of a response,’’ Brooks Koepka said. “I just hate when you sit on the fence.

“Not to say something to where it's not really an answer and 'we'll think about it,' I don't agree with—just pick a side. If it's yes, if it's no, it's fine, we'll figure it out from there.

Said Bryson DeChambeau: “We certainly believe that there's enough that are in the top 50, and we deserve to be getting world ranking points. When they keep holding it back, they're going to just keep playing a waiting game where we're going to keep dropping down in the rankings to where our points won't ever matter.

“That's what they're trying to accomplish, and I hope that people can see right through that rather than believe the lies that they've been told. From my perspective, I think we deserve points.’’

Long Drive Bryson

DeChambeau finished second in a 128-player field last week at the Professional Long Driver’s Association Championship in Mesquite, Nevada. His longest drive in the final was 406 yards and he was beat only by German’s Martin Borgmeier, who had a long drive of 426 yards.

It was still an impressive performance for DeChambeau, who struggled with injuries for a good part of 2022 and only recently began to regain some of that long-driving prowess.

DeChambeau, however, was unable to keep that same form on Friday during the opening round.

“It didn’t work today,’’ he said after shooting 3-under-par 69, which was four shots back of leaders Richard Bland, Branden Grace and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra.

MORE: LIV Golf Bangkok Leaderboard

“It it was definitely a struggle with my driver,’’ he said. “Coming off of Long Drive, it's not the same swing, so trying to rekindle that driver swing I have that helps it go straight. I have the distance, just not accurate one bit.’’

Team Adjustment

LIV Golf altered its rules this week for the team competition. For the first five events, team scores were accumulated by taking the low two players from each of the first two rounds, and then the low three from the final round.

In Bangkok, three players will count in all three rounds.

The Fireballs team of captain Sergio Garcia, Abe Ancer, Carlos Ortiz and Lopez leads after the first round at 14 under with the Cleeks team captained by Martin Kaymer a shot back at 13 under.

The 4 Aces, which have won four in a row, find themselves in 10th place, six shots back. Captain Dustin Johnson shot 70.