LIV Golf Andalucía: Talor Gooch Leads After Rd. 2; Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces Surge

LIV Golf Andalucía: Talor Gooch Leads After Rd. 2; Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces Surge

SAN ROQUE, Spain – After two years since his last LIV Golf victory in Andalucía, Talor Gooch is showcasing the same form that won him the league’s Individual Championship in 2023. The Smash GC star fired a brilliant second-round 5-under 66 on Saturday, establishing a significant four-shot lead after 36 holes at the historic Real Club Valderrama. This marks the first time he has led after 36 holes since his breakout season two years ago, when he secured three victories.

Dustin Johnson, the captain of the 4Aces team, which Gooch played for during the inaugural 2022 season, trails closely at 3 under. Stinger GC’s Branden Grace, who is fighting against relegation, is another stroke back in solo third online real. Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm, together with 4Aces GC’s Patrick Reed — the winner two weeks ago in Dallas — and Iron Heads GC’s Jinichiro Kozuma, are tied for fourth at 1 under. The 4Aces are on the hunt for their first win since 2023, like Gooch, and lead the team leaderboard at 2 over, just one stroke clear of Smash and five ahead of Legion XIII. Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC, aiming for their fourth consecutive win, sit in sixth place, nine strokes behind the leader.

Saturday’s competition also saw the completion of the first round, which had been suspended on Friday due to severe winds and the risk of dangerous conditions. After wrapping up his last five holes, Gooch ended up sharing the 18-hole lead with Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith and Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann at 2 under, before maintaining his position on a challenging but calmer afternoon.

While Gooch is enjoying positive vibes at Valderrama, he is also acutely aware of the challenges that come with protecting a lead on such a demanding course. Last year, Anirban Lahiri entered the final round with a similar four-shot lead, only to lose in a playoff against Fireballs GC Captain, and local favorite, Sergio Garcia, who spectacularly rallied from seven strokes down taya365.login.

Amazingly, Garcia finds himself in the same position this year, sitting even par through 36 holes and seven shots back phwin.net. “In general, on LIV, there’s really no lead that’s safe, especially on a golf course like this,” Gooch acknowledged. “Things can change quickly, and you’re just one shot away from a significant problem. There’s definitely no room for relaxation or complacency.”

“I know DJ (Dustin Johnson) is right behind me. There are just too many excellent players out here for me to feel comfortable thinking I can just show up and win tomorrow. I need to play exceptionally well to secure this victory,” he added.

Johnson, the 2022 Individual Champion, has also been working hard to regain his form and improve his results in 2025. He shot a bogey-free 7-under 64, the best round among the first two days and his second-lowest round relative to par this season. “My game has been really good over the last month and a half,” said Johnson, who is seeking to win a LIV Golf tournament for the fourth consecutive year. “I just haven’t quite seen the results I think I deserve.” He expressed satisfaction at finally assembling a solid round.

Although Gooch has had a tough start to the season, he has recently shown consistent performance, achieving a stretch of four top-15 finishes in tournaments. “I’ve put in a lot of work on the range,” he shared. “It’s rewarding to see all those hours of practice paying off.” However, he knows the job isn’t done. When Gooch won at Valderrama in 2023, he had to surpass DeChambeau on the final day. Last year’s results proved that comebacks from a seven-shot deficit are possible. Valderrama’s challenges can wreak havoc on scores quickly, leaving the door open for those chasing him.

“I’ve got a chance,” Johnson stated. “It’s doable,” Rahm added. “Everything has to go my way tomorrow,” Garcia noted. “Not only do I have to play really well, but the leaders also need to struggle. It’s a significant combination of factors ano ang personal na gamit ng wika.” Gooch is prepared for the challenge ahead — and is focused on reclaiming his spot at the top of the podium. “Nothing is guaranteed tomorrow,” he concluded. “Just because I played well today doesn’t mean it will influence tomorrow’s outcome. It’s a new day, and we need to make the most of it.”

Team Scores

This season’s new scoring format in LIV Golf requires that all four scores count in every round for the team competition. Here are the results and scores for each team after Round 1 and Round 2 of LIV Golf Andalucía. spin ph app download

1. 4ACES GC +2 (Johnson 64, Reed 71, Pieters 72, Varner III 72; Rd. 2 score: -5)
2. SMASH GC +3 (Gooch 66, Koepka 70, McDowell 71, Kokrak 72; Rd. 2 score: -5)
3. LEGION XIII +7 (McKibbin 69, Rahm 70, Hatton 72, Surratt 76; Rd. 2 score: +3)
4. FIREBALLS GC +8 (Ancer 69, Garcia 69, Puig 70, Ballester 75; Rd. 2 score: -1)
5. HYFLYERS GC +10 (Steele 70, Tringale 71, Mickelson 72, Ogletree 72; Rd. 2 score: +1)
6. CRUSHERS GC +11 (DeChambeau 72, Howell III 73, Lahiri 73, Casey 74; Rd. 2 score: +8)
7. IRON HEADS GC +12 (Kozuma 68, Lee 68, Jang 72, Na 73; Rd. 2 score: -3)
8. CLEEKS GC +13 (Meronk 70, Kaymer 72, Bland 73, Kjettrup 74; Rd. 2 score: +5)
9. STINGER GC +15 (Oosthuizen 69, Grace 70, Schwartzel 72, Burmester 73; Rd. 2 score: E)
10. RANGEGOATS GC +17 (Campbell 69, Watson 71, Uihlein 72, Masaveu 75; Rd. 2 score: +3)
11. MAJESTICKS GC +17 (Horsfield 70, Stenson 72, Westwood 72, Poulter 75; Rd. 2 score: +5)
12. TORQUE GC +19 (Muñoz 70, Pereira 72, Ortiz 73, Niemann 75; Rd. 2 score: +6)
13. RIPPER GC +19 (Jones 70, Herbert 72, Smith 73, Leishman 79; Rd. 2 score: +10)

Wild Cards: C. Lee 73, Kim 73

This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in partnership with LIV Golf. Do you think Talor Gooch can maintain his lead until the end?