By Daniel Nhakaniso
Zimbabwean golf star Scott Vincent continued his red-hot form on the LIV Golf League circuit after carding a brilliant bogey-free five-under-par 65 to move into a three-way tie for the lead after the opening round of LIV Golf South Korea in Busan on Friday.
Vincent’s impressive start at Asiad Country Club comes just a few hours after he secured qualification for the The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
The Zimbabwean Olympian booked his place in golf’s oldest major after finishing inside the Top Five of the 2026 Official World Golf Ranking Federating Ranking List.
The upcoming tournament will mark Vincent’s third appearance at a major championship as he looks to make his first-ever major cut.
Only Bogey-Free Round of the Day
Vincent was the standout performer in Busan after producing the only bogey-free round of the opening day to share the lead with Bryson DeChambeau and Charles Howell III.
The strong showing is the latest chapter in what has become an impressive resurgence since joining HyFlyers GC earlier this season as a replacement for captain Phil Mickelson.
Vincent has already recorded a solo fourth-place finish in Mexico City and a tied-eighth finish in Virginia — the team’s two best individual performances of the campaign.
Now, for the first time in his LIV Golf career, the Zimbabwean finds himself sharing the lead after a completed round.
“I don’t know what it is, but the second I joined them, my game just went up,” Vincent said.
“It’s been amazing.”
Momentum Building Ahead of The Open
Vincent earned his LIV Golf place after winning the 2025 International Series season-long title and appears to be building momentum at the perfect time ahead of The Open.
A strong performance in South Korea would further boost confidence for the Zimbabwean as he prepares for another opportunity on golf’s biggest stage.
Strong Field in Contention
Vincent, DeChambeau and Howell III lead the tournament on five-under par.
A trio featuring Joaquin Niemann, Ian Poulter and Thomas Pieters are one shot behind on four-under.
Meanwhile, Cameron Smith, Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel and Laurie Canter are among the players tied for seventh at three-under par.