New Zealander Kerry Mountcastle is moving safely into the second round after posting the best score of the day, an eight under 64 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

“I didn’t know anything about the LIV Promotions until I got told the Monday after I won,” said the Kiwi, “and now I’m here and I’ve made it to the second day, which everything is on.”

Mountcastle is one of 29 players who finished inside the top 20 and ties to advance out of the 60 competitors playing the first round. Those 29 will be joined by 13 exempt players for a 42-man field for Saturday’s second round, with scores reset.

The top 20 (with playoffs breaking ties) will move on to Sunday’s 36-hole day, with the top three finishers earning lucrative spots in the 2024 LIV Golf League.

His closest pursuer on the opening day was American Seungsu Han, who carded a six under 66.

Seven players finished at 5 under, including Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen, who claimed a hole-in-one at the par-3 15th with an eight iron.

“I felt like it was a little bit too much club,” Pulkkanen said, “but my caddie said it’s perfect, and I trusted him, and it went in. Thanks for him.”

The real drama was the cutline number at two under.

Of the 12 players who advanced on the number, seven needed birdies on the last hole, the par-5 18th: Settee Prakongvech, Zach Murray, Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, Braden Thornberry, Luis Carrera, Bio Kim and Lucas Bjerregaard. Two others were at two under entering the 18th and bogeyed the hole – Guntaek Koh and Chris Stroud.

Three amateurs played Friday, and one advanced – Ireland’s Max Kennedy, who shot a bogey-free five under 67. LIV Golf Promotions is just the second professional tournament he’s competed in. His game plan for Saturday is simple.

“Just make birdies,” he said. “That’s all it takes.”

PLAYERS ADVANCING TO ROUND TWO

Kerry Mountcastle, New Zealand (-8) – Recently won the Gippsland Super 6 on the PGA Tour of Australasia

Seungsu Han, USA (-6) – Won the Asian Tour’s Korean Open Golf Championship in June

Junghwan Lee, Korea (-5) – Has three runner-up finishes on the Korean Tour this season

Jinichiro Kozuma, Japan (-5) – Made three starts in the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series, finishing 29th in points

Taichi Kho, Hong Kong (-5) – Won the Asian Tour’s World City Championship in his native Hong Kong in March

Max Kennedy, Ireland (-5) – One of four amateurs in the field this week

Tapio Pulkkanen, Finland (-5) – Played this season on the DP World Tour

Poom Saksansin, Thailand (-5) – Won the Asian Tour’s Yeangder TPC in September

Sadom Kaewkanjana, Thailand (-5) – Played full-time on the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series

Jaco Ahlers, South Africa (-4) – Won the Asian Tour’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters in October

Jeongwoo Ham, Korea (-4) – Has one win and five other top-5 finishes in his last six starts on the Korean Tour

Steve Lewton, England (-4) – Finished 22nd on the International Series standings in 2023

Miguel Tabuena, Philippines (-4) – Won The DGC Open on the Asian Tour in March

Zach Bauchou, USA (-3) – Has two top-5s in his last eight Korn Ferry Tour starts

Kazuki Higa, Japan (-3) – Has 10 professional wins, six on the Japan Golf Tour

Phachara Khongwatmai, Thailand (-3) – Played full-time in the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series

Grégory Bourdy, France (-3) – Has 10 professional wins, four on the European Tour

Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Thailand (-2) – Won in his most recent start on the Asian Tour at the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open

Settee Prakongvech, Thailand (-2) – Posted three victories in 23 starts in 2022

Zach Murray, Australia (-2) – Finished 38th in the 2023 International Series standings

Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, Thailand (-2) – Won once and finished runner-up four times in 25 starts in 2022

Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Thailand (-2) – Finished 28th in the 2023 International Series standings

Kevin Yuan, Australia (-2) – Played the inaugural event last season at LIV Golf London Invitational

Braden Thornberry, USA (-2) – Won the 2017 NCAA Division I men’s golf championship while at University of Mississippi

Joel Stalter, France (-2) – Posted his lone DP World Tour win in 2020 in Austria

Luis Carrera, Mexico (-2) – Turned pro this summer after stellar career at University of Central Florida

Bio Kim, Korea (-2) – Has four wins in the last three seasons, including the LX Championship this year on the Korean Tour

Martin Trainer, France (-2) – Won in Puerto Rico on the PGA Tour in 2019

Lucas Bjerregaard, Denmark (-2) – Has six professional wins, including two on the DP World Tour 

13 PLAYERS JOIN FIELD FOR ROUND TWO

Thirteen players who received first-round byes due to their eligibility category will join Friday’s survivors for the second-round at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Those 13 include five players who ranked 2nd – 8th in the final International Series standings: India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul, Australia’s Wade Ormsby and Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent.

Three players who were relegated out of the 2023 LIV Golf League will begin their attempt at returning to the league: Australian Jed Morgan and Americans Sihwan Kim and James Piot. In addition, reserve Laurie Canter will also start Saturday.

Amateur Sampson-Yuhne Zheng of China received an invite as the highest-ranking entrant in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Finland’s Kalle Samooja is eligible as a 2022 winner on the DP World Tour.

Two veteran players accepted invitations to play: 2013 PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner and PGA Tour winner Kevin Chappell, both from the U.S.

“Bypassing the first round is definitely an advantage,” Ormsby said. “It’s one less round you’ve got, one less hurdle to get over.”

“Instead of 80 players fighting for three cards in the first round, we will have less than 40 players fighting for the same number of cards,” Bhullar said. “The probability just gets better.”

The second round will start with a fresh leaderboard after scores are reset. The top 20 finishers on Saturday – playoffs will break ties if necessary – will advance to the final 36-hole finish on Sunday.

Image: LIV Golf