Smith Leads by 4 Shots..."LIV Golf Victory in Sight"

11th Tournament Bedminster 2R 5-Under Surge
Mickelson and Vermester Tied 2nd, Reed Tied 4th
Johnson 15th, DeChambeau 38th, Kepka 40th

Cameron Smith (Australia) is the 'winner in waiting.'

On the 12th (local time), at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, USA (par 71, 7,562 yards), during the second round of the LIV Golf 2023 season's 11th tournament, Bedminster (total prize money $25 million), he shot 4 under par to maintain his position at the top of the leaderboard for the second consecutive day (9 under par, 133 strokes). Phil Mickelson (USA) and Dean Burmester (South Africa) are tied for second place (5 under par, 137 strokes), while Patrick Reed (USA) and two others are tied for fourth place (4 under par, 138 strokes), continuing the chase.

Cameron Smith is teeing off at the 2nd hole during the 2nd round of the LIV Golf 11th tournament at Bedminster. [Bedminster, USA = EPA·Yonhap News]

Smith started with a one-stroke lead and recorded seven birdies, one bogey, and one double bogey. In the front nine, he recovered from a double bogey on the 3rd hole (par 4) with 'stepping stone birdies' on the 6th and 8th holes. However, in the back nine, after consecutive birdies on the 12th and 13th holes, he briefly paused with a bogey on the 14th hole (par 3), then followed with consecutive birdies on the 15th and 16th holes and a final birdie on the 18th hole (par 5), distancing himself from his competitors. Leading by four strokes, he secured a chance for his third LIV Golf career victory.

Smith turned professional in 2013 and is a strong player with six wins on the PGA Tour and four wins on the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour). After winning the Open Championship last year, he moved to LIV Golf, sponsored by Saudi Arabian capital. On the new tour, he claimed titles at the Chicago event last September and the London event last month.

Phil Mickelson, who has been alleged to have lost $100 million (approximately 130 billion KRW) through gambling, reduced his score by four strokes to join the race for the title. Bubba Watson (USA) and Anirban Lahiri (India) are tied for fourth place, and Brandon Grace (South Africa) is in seventh place (3 under par, 139 strokes). Taylor Gooch is tied for 13th place (1 under par, 141 strokes), Dustin Johnson tied for 15th place (even par, 142 strokes), Bryson DeChambeau tied for 38th place (4 over par, 146 strokes), and Brooks Koepka (all USA) are tied for 40th place (6 over par, 148 strokes).