By Matt Smith
Well, after all the waiting, we are finally here.

Follow all the live updates from Centurion Club as the LIV Golf Invitational Series tees off from 2pm just outside London.

Follow the link below for live video while I shall keep you up to date with rolling text on this page.

1.14pm
Welcome!
Dustin Johnson has been smashing them on the range, while there is already a hefty following for Phil Mickelson on the chipping greens. We get under way with a shotgun start from 2.15pm as the 48 golfers go for individual and team glory, with $25 million on the line. Nice work if you can get it!
Check out all the groupings here at Centurion Club.

1.28pm
And the Bearskin band has started to play. The black cabs are ready to transport each of the players out to their respective tees.

1.43pm
Got to love the English weather. The heavens have just opened as the players go through their final preparations for the tee-off.

2.03pm

The taxis are away!

2.09pm
Greg Norman is speaking ahead of tee-off. “This is what golf is missing!”

2.40pm
So after all the ceremonial trumpeting, we are under way. Lee Westwood takes the honour of the first par in the competition’s history before Martin Kaymer registers the first birdie to take the lead on 15.

2.44pm
Tricky to keep an eye on all 18 holes now. Peter Uilhen has had a storming start, and is two-under already, having started on the 13th. Lucky for some. Hudson Swafford is also off the mark on one-under, alongside Kaymer, Branden Grace, Graeme McDowell, Dubai’s Adrian Oategui, Wade Ormsby and Phachara Khongwatmai. All go here!

2.48pm
News is emerging that the PGA has suspended every player on their books that is competing in England today.

2.50pm
Phachara Khongwatma also moves to two under. Charl Schwarzel makes his move to share the lead, and Uilhein drops back to one-under.

2.52pm
The Guardian has reported that the “PGA Tour has emailed all PGA Tour members informing them that all participants on the LIV Golf Series, both in today’s opening competition and in future, are suspended immediately.”

2.55pm
Now Phachara Khongwatma is out on his own now on two-under. Shots going a-begging all over the course right now.

3.02pm
LIV Golf have responded to the PGA: “Today’s announcement by the PGA Tour is vindictive and it deepens the divide between the Tour and its members. It’s troubling that the Tour, an organisation dedicated to creating opportunities for golfers to play the game, is the entity blocking golfers from playing.  This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London, and beyond.”

3.08pm
It is all about one man out there at the moment as Bangkok resident Phachara Khongwatmai moves to three under, two strokes clear.

3.12pm
Laurie Canter moves into second spot on his own at two-under for Ian Poulter’s Majesticks team. Khongwatmai is on Crushers alongside Richard Bland, Uihlein and Travis Smyth.

3.15pm
Torque GC’s Talor Gooch bangs in a birdie to move to two-under.

3.24pm
The ‘other’ Koepka, Chase, is on to two-under through four holes. Wonder if Brooks is watching from the States…

3.27pm
Not quite so plain sailing for our two marquee men as Dustin Johnson has just clawed back to even-par, while Phil Mickelson is one-over.

3.30pm
Scott Vincent, fresh off an amazing streak on the Asian Tour, has picked up two strokes in two holes to get to one-under. Khongwatmai still leads on three-under.

3.50pm
So after that brief break to catch up on the PGA developments, back to the action. Khongwatmai has moved onto four-under, with South African ‘Stinger’ Hennie Du Plessis one back on his own in second spot after six holes.

3.54pm
Hello! Khongwatmai drops his first shot of the day on the 15th to fall into a share of the lead with Hennie.

4.09pm
Khongwatmai is back out on his own again as Hennie drops a shot on 14 to join Grace, Koepka and David Puig on two-under. The weather is proving a bit testing out there.

Phil Mickelson

4.17pm
Phil Mickelson is still slogging away. He is currently even par through eight.

5pm
So we approach the business end of the day, with Khongwatmai still keeping his nose infront on four-under with seven to play. Hennie Du Plessis has just come through18 and is second on his own, one ahead of Grace and Charl Schwartzel.

5.13pm
In the teams sections, it is Louis Oosthuizen and his South African Stinger contingent that lead on five-under from the Uihlein Crushers on four-under. Poulter’s Majesticks sit third on two-under.

5.18pm
Oof! Wade Ormsby is a smidge away from an albatross on 13! Just missed and lips out. He makes his eagle to get back to even-par.

5.27pm
Branden Grace is up to three-under after birdie on 10. One off the lead!

5.30pm
At the bottom of the individual leaderboard, it is Andy Ogletree from Little Rock, Mississippi., who props up the bunch He won the 2019 US Amateur but is struggling at Centurion. Five holes to go.

5.34pm
Dustin is in all sorts of bother on 13 with a plugged ball in the bunker. He is one-ver for the day as it stands. Wonderful recovery from an awful stance keeps him in the running in T15th.

5.43pm
Steady going for Phil as he pars 13 to stay at even-par. As you were at the top as Khongwatmai still leads by one from South African pair Hennie and Branden.

5.52pm
Grace drops one on 11 to fall into a share of third with Schwartzel. A lot of South Africa flags near the top of the table still!

5.55pm
Hennie Du Plessis’ turn to drop a shot on four, allowing Khongwatmai to open up a two-stroke lead on four-under.

6.15pm
Schwartzel and Du Plessis pull back within one of the lead with two to play. Khongwatmai holds steady on four-under.

6.20pm
Phil making a late move as he gets to one-under through 15. He started on the first so at least he is easy to work out when and where he will get off course.

6.26pm
Khongwatmai gets out of a spot of bother to par the eight and he heads to his final hole, the ninth with a one-stroke advantage.

6.31pm
Now that is the time to make your move. Charl Schwartzel takes the outright lead with an eagle on 18! A very nice day for the South Africans with Grace and Du Plessis also in the top four.

6.36pm
As the players wrap up their rounds, how about this for near miss of the day from Viraj Madappa!

 

6.37pm
Looking good for Charl to become the first-ever overnight leader of the LIV Golf Series. the 2011 Masters champ has had fun out there today, with his trademark grin firmly in place. Final standings coming imminently.

6.42pm
Hennie Du Plessis gets to four-under for a share of second beside Khongwatmai.

6.46pm
That’s a shame, a bit of a whimper to end Khongwatmai’s round as he bogeys the last to sign for three-under.

6.54pm
Jinx alert. Swchwartzel lets his lead slip! Bogey on the first takes him back to four-under, and low looks to be sharing the overnight lead with fellow South African Hennie Du Plessis. Zimbabwe sensation Scott Vincent has moved up to two-under for a share of fourth alongside Justin Harding and Branden Grace., one behind Khongwatmai.

7.03pm
Now that is resilient. Schwartzel bounces straight back with a birdie on his last hole to re-establish that one-stroke lead. Stunning finish!

7.28pm
So that wraps up Day 1 here at Centurion. Keep an eye on the homepage for the latest news and we will be back tomorrow with more live coverage!

 

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