The US$25 million LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok, Asia's richest ever tournament, teed off yesterday with Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, Richard Bland and Branden Grace taking a one-shot lead in the first round.
Span's Lopez-Chacarra, England's Bland and South African Grace all shot a seven-under-par 65 at Stonehill in Pathum Thani.
Australian Marc Leishman and England's Ian Poulter were joint second on 66 in the three-day tournament -- LIV Golf's sixth event and first in Asia in its inaugural season.
The duo were one shot ahead of Sihwan Kim, Jediah Morgan, Brooks Koepka, Harold Varner III and Kevin Na.
"I'm living the dream," Lopez- Chacarra said.
"I'm playing with Sergio's [Garcia] team. He's my hero since I was little, and then I got Abraham [Ancer] and Carlos [Ortiz] who are really good friends, and they are helping me as much as they can every week."
Bland said: "All courses for LIV tournaments I have played are difficult and in good conditions with top-class facilities. Stonehill is a top course on the LIV series. I feel lucky to be one of the 48 players to play in LIV tournaments."
"I'm just trying to win a golf tournament," said Grace.
"If I can do that, if I can keep my mind towards that, then the rest will happen. I'm just fortunate to be in a good position coming into this week, lying second [in the individual standings] and playing well and feeling good about the game. I just need to come out here and hit the shots and make the most of it."
Thailand's Sadom Kaewkanjana and Phachara Khongwatmai were tied for 31st on 71.
"I'm proud and excited to play with several top golfers. I have learned a lot from them," said Sadom.
The deep pockets of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund have allowed LIV to offer eye-watering prize money.
The winner in Bangkok receives $4 million and last-placed golfer in the 48-player field takes home $120,000.
A host of top players have joined the series, plunging golf into bitter civil war as the PGA Tour and the Europe-based DP World Tour have scrambled to hold on to talent while the Asian Tour, and now the lesser-known Mena Tour, have aligned themselves with LIV.
The Bangkok event features 12 major champions including Koepka, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia.
With just two regular season tournaments remaining for the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series, the participants are jostling for position in the individual standings, where a $30 million purse will be shared among the top-three players at the end of the campaign.
This year's champion in the final individual standings after next week's LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah will receive a first-place prize of $18 million. The runner-up gets $8 million and the third-placed player takes home $4 million.
Jonhson, the 2016 US Open and 2020 Masters, leads the pack in the individual standings with 118 points.
The American holds a healthy 39-point lead over his nearest challenger thanks to a win in Boston and top-three finishes in Bedminster and Chicago.
He has played in all five previous LIV tournaments and never finished outside the top 10.
Johnson and his 4 Aces GC team also are also leaders in the team event with his teammates being Reed, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez.