Gooch, Detry, Uihlein lead at halfway stage in LIV Golf Riyadh

RIYADH, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Three shots separated the top 13 players after 36 holes at LIV Golf Riyadh, the 2026 season opener, on Thursday at Riyadh Golf Club.

Cooler and windier conditions greeted the field in the second round as play continued under the lights, with the leaderboard beginning to take shape heading into the final two rounds.

Talor Gooch moved into a share of the lead with Thomas Detry and Peter Uihlein after carding a second straight 5-under 67. Gooch sits at 10-under overall with 36 holes remaining.

Sebastian Munoz is one shot back at 9-under following a 4-under 68.

"It started a bit slow with a bogey on No. 2. I hit a bad bunker shot," Munoz said. "After that I made some good birdies and kept it moving along."

Detry, who shared the first-round lead, followed his opening 65 with a 3-under 69 to remain among the leaders.

"I got off to a pretty shaky start," Detry said. "It was a bogey-free round yesterday, but today I felt a little uncomfortable early on. I managed to settle the ship with two birdies on holes four and five, then just fought hard."

In the team standings, Smash GC leads at 30-under, with Torque GC at 27-under and 4Aces GC at 23-under. All four players' scores count in every round this season, leaving the team race wide open heading into Friday and Saturday night play. ■