14 March 2024 , 22:37
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Both Sergio Garcia and Anthony Kim endured tough starts at the International Series event in Macau, after the LIV Golf duo turned their attentions away from the breakaway league to the Asian Tour.
Garcia and Kim are two of a number of LIV stars who have opted to head to Macau this week, but failed to make an impression in round one. Garcia, who is playing in his first Official World Golf Ranking-sanctioned event outside of the majors in over the year, kicked off his week with a disappointing two-over-par 72.
The former Masters champion made three birdies across his opening 18 holes, but these were cancelled out by five bogeys, to leave him well off the pace and in a tie for 124th.
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Garcia would have no doubt headed into the week confident of making his mark, after coming agonisingly to winning his first LIV title at Mayakoba last month - losing out in a playoff to Joaquin Niemann. Thursday however did not go to plan, and the Spaniard now faces the uphill task of making the 36-hole cut.
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Elsewhere Kim is playing in his first Tour event away from LIV since making his shock return to professional golf after 12 years away. Despite impressing with a five-under-par 65 in the final round of last week's LIV Hong Kong, Kim has struggled to shake off the rust since making his comeback.
And it continued in Macau on Thursday, as he once again found himself towards the bottom of the leaderboard, shooting a four-over 74 across his first 18 holes. His weekend now looks in doubt with the 38-year-old currently sat at in a tie for 136th ahead of his second round.
Anthony Kim struggled in round one (Getty Images)Missing the cut would prove a huge disappointment for both, not least because those from the breakaway league have the chance to earn some much-needed world ranking points this week. After it was revealed that LIV had given up their hunt to receive recognition from the OWGR, Garcia and co are only set to slip further down the ranking list.
At the other end of the leaderboard it is China's Li Haotong who leads the way, after the DP World Tour star put together a superb seven-under 63, which included eight birdies. Two LIV stars in Pat Perez and Mito Pereira however are breathing down Li's neck, with the pair just one back at six-under.
Perez, who has struggled for form on the LIV setup since making the Saudi switch, made seven birdies and just the one bogey across his opening round. "To be honest, I have been working really hard on my game and it’s showing," he said post-round. "It was nice today, I hit it really good, the wind was blowing.
"There are some tight tee shots out there, I played great. I just screwed up one hole. I have been playing good all week, the course kind of fits my eye. I was excited to play. You need to keep your driver in play here. It’s cool being here, it’s mini-Vegas, and I love Vegas.”