Shane Lowry clinched victory at the BMW PGA Championship on the final hole at Wentworth, pipping Jon Rahm despite a historic final round from the Spaniard.

Following the suspension of play on Friday due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the tournament was reduced to 54 holes.

Rahm's round of 62 on Sunday gave him the clubhouse lead on 16 under par, and it could have been even lower had he not narrowly missed some birdie attempts early on.

His total of 29 on the back nine, which included two eagles, was the lowest in the tournament's history, despite a bogey on 15.

It looked likely that Lowry would overtake him when the Irishman also reached 16 under with six holes remaining, hitting an eagle on the fourth, and birdies on the seventh, eighth, 10th and 12th.

However, Lowry – the 2019 champion at The Open Championship – went on to par the next five, leaving a nervous wait to see if he could take advantage on the par five 18th.

Lowry did just that after an excellent approach shot that left him with two putts for birdie, which he executed to seal a sixth DP Tour win of his career.

Rory McIlroy finished joint-second with Rahm after carding a final round of 67, while overnight leaders Viktor Hovland and Soren Kjeldsen both slipped to T5 after only being able to go round in 70.

Patrick Reed had set the bar early in the day with his impressive round of 63, before Rahm overtook him, and the American also finished joint-fifth alongside Thomas Detry on 14 under, with Talor Gooch able to earn outright fourth after an eagle at the 18th.

A round of 65 from Lee Westwood saw him climb to T13, where he was joined by world number 443 Matthew Southgate, who carded his second round of 67 in a row.

Soren Kjeldsen carded a superb eight-under 64 on a belated second day of the BMW PGA Championship, tying for the lead with Viktor Hovland.

Having seen play postponed on Friday following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, matters resumed at Wentworth with Kjeldsen posting one of the scores of the day.

The Dane moved to 12 under for the tournament, but that was only enough for a share of the lead after Hovland built on his own 64 with a four-under 68.

Hovland had jointly held the lead with Tommy Fleetwood and Andy Sullivan at close of play on Thursday.

Fleetwood fell away in the second round, though, with a round of one over par – including a double-bogey at the four-par sixth – leaving him five back.

Rory McIlroy, pipped to the PGA Tour Player of the Year award by Scottie Scheffler on Saturday, continued his strong form with a seven-under 65.

That effort, which included an eagle at the par-five fourth, moved McIlroy to 11 under, one shot off the lead alongside Thomas Detry and Rafa Cabrera Bello.

Meanwhile, the round of the day – and indeed the tournament so far – belonged to Australia's Min Woo Lee, who bounced back spectacularly from Thursday's 76 with a sensational 10-under 62, guided by two eagles and seven birdies.

Scottie Scheffler received an overwhelming majority of the votes as he was named PGA Tour Player of the Year for 2022.

Scheffler, the world number one, has enjoyed a brilliant year, winning his first major title at The Masters in April.

The 26-year-old won in four of his first six starts this year, becoming the first player since Jason Day in the 2014-15 season to do so, and finished T2 at the US Open alongside Will Zalatoris, one shot back from champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

Other than his triumph at Augusta, Scheffler won the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play, the Phoenix Open and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Only the great Tiger Woods (eight victories) has previously won four tournaments, including a major and a WGC competition, in the same season.

Scheffler was presented with the Jack Nicklaus Award live on ESPN's College GameDay ahead of the college football meeting between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday.

A Dallas native, Scheffler received 89 per cent of the votes to clinch the award ahead of Rory McIlroy and Cameron Smith. He is the first player to win the Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year, PGA Tour Rookie of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year.

"On behalf of the PGA Tour, congratulations to Scottie on his remarkable season and his unprecedented achievements," said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan in a statement.

"Undoubtedly, one of the highest compliments a player can receive is the endorsement from his peers, and the fact that Scottie's season was both dominant and consistent spoke volumes to the membership. 

"As gratifying as it has been to see his development on the course over the last several years, we are equally thankful that Scottie has embraced the role as an ambassador of the PGA Tour and the game of golf. With young stars like Scottie leading the way, the PGA Tour is in great hands for many years to come."

Scheffler finished the 2021-22 season with 11 top-10 finishes in 25 starts, though he was just pipped to the FedEx Cup title by McIlroy.

The Northern Irishman won three tournaments over the course of the season, and became a de facto spokesperson for the PGA Tour amid the LIV Golf Invitational Series breakaway.

Smith - who like McIlroy recorded three victories, though unlike the world number three clinched a major title at The Open Championship - is one of the biggest names LIV Golf have lured away from the PGA Tour.

Play will resume at the BMW PGA Championship on Saturday after a day's pause following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Event organisers halted play late on Thursday and all day Friday following news of Her Majesty's passing at the age of 96.

However, the DP World Tour has confirmed play will resume at Wentworth on Saturday, with the tournament to be contested over 54 holes rather than 72.

"The decision to restart on Saturday has been taken in accordance with Official National Mourning guidance and in consultation with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)," the DP World Tour's statement read.

"The Wentworth event will give players, caddies, staff, volunteers and spectators the opportunity to come together across the weekend, not only to express their condolences but also to celebrate the extraordinary life of Her Majesty.

"The second round of the BMW PGA Championship will resume at 6.40am on Saturday morning and all original second round tee times will remain the same. 

"Those players who are yet to complete their first round will do so from 7.30am onwards from the place on the golf course where they stopped on Thursday afternoon.

"Across the weekend at Wentworth, black ribbons will be made available for people to wear and flags will continue to fly at half-mast."

"In addition, there will be a two-minute silence at 9.50am on Saturday morning across the venue to commemorate the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, with the proclamation of King Charles III being shown on the television screens in the Championship Village from 10am."

Tommy Fleetwood, Andy Sullivan and Viktor Hovland held a joint-lead with an eight-under par 64 when play came to a stop on Thursday.

England's third Test against South Africa at The Oval will also resume on Saturday, while the Super League clash between Huddersfield Giants and Salford Red Devils will go ahead as planned.

Friday's meeting between Catalans Dragons and Leeds Rhinos had already been given the green light to take place as it is being held in Perpignan in the south of France.

However, all Premier League and English Football League fixtures this weekend have been called off, as has Saturday's undisputed middleweight championship bout between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall.

The fight at the O2 Arena in London has been provisionally postponed until October 15.

Over seven decades on the throne, the Queen oversaw a number of major events – not least in the sporting world.

Sport was a significant feature of Her Majesty's 70-year reign, from attending events to handing over trophies, most famously in 1966 when England lifted the World Cup at Wembley.

Following the announcement of her passing on Thursday, Stats Perform looks at the major sporting events that coincided with prominent milestones throughout the Queen's reign.

The Queen's Coronation, 1953

Princess Elizabeth was officially crowned Queen on June 2, 1953, a year after the death of her father George VI. Aged just 25, her ascension to the throne took place amid a glittering ceremony at Westminster Abbey. In the sporting world, Alberto Ascari won the Formula One championship for a second successive year shortly after the historic moment. He remains one of only two Ferrari drivers to have won multiple titles, along with the great Michael Schumacher, while no Italian has triumphed since. This was also the year Ken Rosewall, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, won the first of his eight grand slam titles with victory at the Australian Open, aged just 18. Incredibly, the last of those major triumphs arrived 21 years after his maiden success at Wimbledon in 1974.

The Silver Jubilee, 1977

The Queen's Silver Jubilee marked the 25th anniversary of her accession and was celebrated by millions throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. Known for her love of horse racing, Her Majesty would no doubt have had a watching eye on that year's Grand National, won that year for an unprecedented third time by Red Rum – a record that stands to this day. A week on from that event, Tom Watson edged out Jack Nicklaus in a thrilling conclusion to the Masters, and he did likewise later in the year when coming out on top at The Open.

The Golden Jubilee, 2002

The Queen's 50-year anniversary on the throne coincided with a bumper year of sport, the highlight being the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan – the first time the football showpiece had been held outside of the Americas or Europe – which was won by Brazil for a fifth time. While the World Cup, Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games garnered plenty of attention, that year's must-see one-off event was Lennox Lewis' heavyweight bout with Mike Tyson in Tennessee, with the Briton winning by knockout in the eighth round.

The Diamond Jubilee, 2012

The London Olympics was the biggest sporting event on home soil during the Queen's lifetime – bigger even than England's famous World Cup triumph of 1966 – and coincided with her Diamond Jubilee. The Games were a massive success, particularly for Great Britain, and proved one of many highlights in a remarkable sporting year. Europe produced one of the Ryder Cup's greatest ever comebacks in what is now known as 'The Miracle at Medinah', while Spain thrashed Italy 4-0 to win Euro 2012. Perhaps bigger than all that, though, was the news that Lance Armstrong had been banned from cycling for life and stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after being found to have used performance-enhancing drugs over the course of his career.

The Sapphire Jubilee, 2017

Sixty-five years is a long time, with this Jubilee making the Queen the first British monarch to hit the Sapphire milestone. Sergio Garcia's wait for a first major would have felt just as long, the Spaniard claiming victory in a sudden-death play-off with Justin Rose at the Masters in what was his 74th major. The conclusion to that tournament provided drama aplenty, yet it was nothing compared to that year's Super Bowl as the New England Patriots recovered from a 28-3 deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in the largest comeback in the showpiece's history. It also remains the only Super Bowl to be decided in overtime.

Friday's play at the BMW PGA Championship has been suspended following confirmation of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Her Majesty passed away at her home in Balmoral on Thursday at the age of 96.

Play was immediately suspended at Wentworth once the news came through at 18:30 BST.

In a statement released later on Thursday, event organisers paid tribute to the Queen and confirmed there will be no action on Friday as a mark of respect.

"On behalf of our members and everyone associated with the European Tour group and the BMW PGA Championship, it is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," the statement read.

"She truly was an inspiration to people the world over. Out of respect for Her Majesty and the Royal Family, play has been suspended at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club for the remainder of Thursday and all flags at Wentworth Club will be lowered to half-mast.

"Furthermore, no play will take place at the BMW PGA Championship on Friday and the golf course and practice facilities will be closed. Further updates on the resumption of play will be provided in due course. Our deepest sympathies and condolences are with the Royal Family at this time."

Tommy Fleetwood, Andy Sullivan and Viktor Hovland held a joint-lead with an eight-under par 64 when play came to a stop on Thursday.

The tournament was scheduled to conclude on Sunday.

Tommy Fleetwood impressed on his return to claim a share of the lead after round one of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, shooting eight-under-par to end Thursday tied with Andy Sullivan and Viktor Hovland.

Fleetwood had not played since finishing fourth in the Open at St Andrews in July, having taken an extended period of absence following his mother's death.

But he showed no signs of rustiness on Thursday as he cruised around a rainy Wentworth in 64 shots, covering his last seven holes in six under before declaring his delight at returning to the DP World Tour. 

"It's nice to be back more than anything," said Fleetwood. "Seven weeks off feels more like two years I guess. 

"When you stand on the first tee, you don't know what to expect, no matter how well you might have been practising or playing.

"It was a lovely grouping to come back to, best friends on Tour [Justin Rose was in his group]. It's always better that I played good rather than bad, but it was just nice to be back."

Sullivan recovered with a fine bunker shot at the 18th to ensure he remained level with Fleetwood, before Hovland joined the leading duo in style with an eagle on the last, sinking a fine putt from 27 feet.

Jordan Matthew finished seven-under on a good day for the home hopefuls, with Shane Lowry, Jason Scrivener, Fabrizio Zanotti and Marcus Amitage all a shot further back.

Rory McIlroy, who became the first three-time FedEX Cup winner last month, finished four-under for the day, and told Sky Sports he could have done more.

"I thought I played okay, as you said the rain was on and off all day and that made it really tricky," he said.

"I felt four-under was pretty pedestrian, I didn't do a lot right, I didn't do a lot wrong, I definitely feel that the course is going to be very gettable for the rest of the week.

"Winning gives me motivation more than anything else, you've proven to yourself that you can win, you can beat the best players in the world. I've always got this sense of excitement after a win, and it's about resetting goals to strive for other things."

Rory McIlroy says his relationships with several former Ryder Cup team-mates have strained by their decisions to join the LIV Golf series.

Five members of Europe's team for the 2021 tournament, at which they were well beaten by the United States at Whistling Straits, have joined the controversial Saudi Arabia-backed circuit.

Four of those five – Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Bernd Wiesberger – are part of the field for this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

The presence of LIV golfers at the DP World Tour's flagship event has been criticised by some players, with former world number one Jon Rahm and defending BMW PGA champion Billy Horschel both hitting out at their participation. 

McIlroy has been a fierce defender of the PGA Tour amid the divide with LIV Golf, and admits he has grown distant with many of his counterparts on the breakaway circuit. 

"I wouldn't say I've got much of a relationship with them at the minute," McIlroy said of his former Ryder Cup team-mates.

"But, like, I haven't done anything different. They are the ones that have made that decision. I can sit here and keep my head held high and say I haven't done anything differently."

Having declared last month that it would be "hard to stomach" LIV players joining the field at Wentworth, McIlroy was more diplomatic this time around, adding: "They are here. They are playing the golf tournament. 

"My opinion is they shouldn't be here, but again that's just my opinion.

"But we are all going to tee it up on the first tee tomorrow and we are all going to go play 72 holes, which is a novelty for them at this point, and then we'll go from there.

"If you're just talking about Ryder Cup, that's not the future of the Ryder Cup team. They've played in probably a combined 25, 30 Ryder Cups, whatever it is.

"The Hojgaards [brothers Rasmus and Nicolai], Bobby Mac [Robert MacIntyre], whoever else is coming up, they are the future of the Ryder Cup team. That's what we should be thinking about and talking about."

Meanwhile, the DP World Tour's chief executive Keith Pelley has hit out at comments from Westwood and Garcia after the two men claimed the DP World Tour is nothing more than a feeder circuit for the PGA.

Garcia, Europe's record points scorer in the Ryder Cup, recently declared the DP World Tour to be just the fifth best circuit in world golf.

"It's unbelievable," Pelley said. "Let's look at the facts. If the metric determining the top tours in the world is just money, then the number one tour is the PGA Tour, always has been. You could argue that the LIV Invitational Series is number two.

"But The Asian Tour, $22.5m; Korn Ferry Tour; $20m; Japan, $28m; Australia, $5.8m; Sunshine Tour, $7.4m. Totalling all their prize funds together comes to just half of our tour. So even if the only metric is money, how possibly could we ever become number five?

"Is this week a tournament that is on a feeder tour? A tournament that has sold-out crowds, television coverage around the world in 150 countries, five of the top 15 players in the world? A tournament with 150 accredited media?

"Our first co-sanctioned event with the PGA Tour in Scotland, where 14 of the top 15 players played, would that appear on a feeder tour? I could go on and on."

Pelley also defended his decision to remain aligned with the PGA Tour, adding: "LIV Golf and the PGA Tour are involved in a power struggle for our sport.

"It is corporate America versus a sovereign state and a conflict fought out with eye-watering sums of money. I often get the question, why can't we work with both the PGA Tour and the Saudis. We tried.

"But the Saudis remain determined to set up a new series outside of the current ecosystem. That decision has created the conflict we see today, and we chose to partner with the leading tour in the game.

"Some people might not agree with that decision. But it's a decision we feel is the right thing to do for all our members."

Former world number one Jon Rahm has hit out at the prospect of LIV Golf players featuring at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth later this week.

The field for the DP World Tour event, which begins on Thursday, includes 17 players who have made an appearance on the controversial Saudi-backed circuit. 

The likes of Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia are all among that group, as the bitter divide between the LIV series and the PGA and European Tours shows no sign of healing.

Quizzed on their presence at the event, former U.S. Open champion Rahm expressed his frustration at big-name LIV golfers taking the places of those who have stayed loyal to the European Tour, claiming they are only appearing to pick up world ranking points.

"What I don't understand is some players that have never shown any interest in the European Tour, that have never shown any interest in playing this event, are being given an opportunity, just because they can get world ranking points, and hopefully make majors next year," the Spaniard said.

Citing the case of close friend Alfredo Garcia-Heredia, who has missed out on the field, Rahm added: "It doesn't hurt me, but it does bug me that somebody who has played over – I looked it up – 20 DP World events this year cannot be given the opportunity to play a flagship event.

"Because some people that earned it, to an extent, are being given an opportunity when they couldn't care any less about the event.

"They don't know. They don't care. They don't know the history of this event.

"They are only here because they are trying to get world ranking points and trying to finish in the top 50, and that's clear as day."

But Rahm believes there could yet be a way back for those who have signed for the breakaway tour, adding: "There's only one problem in life that doesn't have a solution, and that's death. 

"Everything else has a solution. If the European Tour really want them to play and as a team we [Ryder Cup Europe] want them to play, I think a solution can be reached."

Defending BMW PGA Championship champion Billy Horschel was similarly scathing of the LIV rebels, declaring: "Even though Westwood and Poulter have been stalwarts for the European Tour, I don't think those guys really should be here."

Taking aim at those who have missed the event in the past, he added: "You've never played this tournament, you've never supported the DP World Tour.

"Why are you here? You are here for one reason only, and that's to try to get world ranking points because you don't have it [on the LIV Tour].

"It's hypocritical because some of these guys said they wanted to play less golf. It's pretty hypocritical to come over here and play outside LIV when your big thing was to spend more time with family and want to play less golf."

Cameron Smith has been nominated for the PGA Tour Player of the Year award, just weeks after the Open champion defected to rival series LIV Golf.

The Australian is a finalist for the prize alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler and FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy.

The trio enjoyed some of the finest form of their careers this year, with Smith and Scheffler claiming first major wins at St Andrews and the Masters respectively.

Smith's nomination after his defection to LIV Golf, among the highest-profile losses from the PGA Tour, will rankle with some.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a strong first tournament at LIV Boston over the weekend, just missing out on the deciding play-off where Dustin Johnson picked up his first series title.

Open runner-up Cameron Young is one of three nominees for the Rookie of the Year award, alongside Tom Kim and Sahith Theegala.

Dustin Johnson sunk a long-range eagle putt on the first playoff hole in LIV Golf history to secure a victory in Boston on Sunday, defeating Anirban Lahiri and Joaquin Niemann on the extra hole.

Lahiri had the best third round of the playoff participants, posting a six-under 64 to work his way to 15 under, while Johnson shot 65 and Neimann a 66. Neimann came into the day one stroke off Talor Gooch's lead, while Johnson was alone in third place one further back.

In the playoff, which took place on the par-five 18th hole, Lahiri sailed over the back of the green, and Niemann found a fairway bunker, leaving Johnson as the only player to make the green in three and leave himself an eagle putt.

The two-time major winner made sure a second playoff hole was not necessary, bashing in the eagle, which would have sailed at least 10 feet past the hole if it did not hit it dead in the middle.

As well as the $4million prize for winning the event, Johnson and each of his 4 Aces GC teammates – Gooch (13 under), Pat Perez (seven under) and Patrick Reed (three under) –will also take home an extra $750,000 for topping the team standings for the third tournament in a row

It was a packed leaderboard down the home stretch, with Lee Westwood and LIV debutant Cameron Smith also holding a share of the lead with two holes remaining, before late bogeys took them out of the playoff and into a tie for fourth at 14 under.

Gooch, after entering the round in the outright lead, could only muster a one-under 69 as he watched the field race past him on a day with friendly scoring conditions.

Jason Kokrak finished seventh at 12 under, Mexico's Abraham Ancer was alone in eighth at 11 under, and rounding out the top-10 was a three-man tie for ninth at 10 under consisting of Kevin Na, Louis Oosthuizen and Sergio Garcia.

Phil Mickelson finished tied for 40th at two over, and the last-placed Sihwan Kim will take home $120,000 after finishing 16 over, posting rounds of 87, 63 and 76.

An emotional Oliver Wilson fought back tears after securing a one-stroke Made in Denmark victory to secure his second DP World Tour title eight years after his first.

The 41-year-old finished on 21 under to edge out Scotsman Ewen Ferguson and finally add to his Alfred Dunhill Links Championship triumph in 2014.

Wilson carded a closing 67 in Farso on Sunday to keep his rivals at bay in a tense finale.

He holed a brilliant long putts at the 13th and 17th holes to take a one-shot advantage to the final hole and was emotional after finishing off the job.

"I knew I could get the job done," he stated. "Everything I've done to this point to rebuild my game, I knew I could do it. I was so in control, and I said I wasn't going to cry!

"I was so calm there. I almost enjoyed the last hole. It's pretty special. I'm so proud of myself. I feel like there's a lot ahead of me and I'm so pleased to get win number two.

"I love this place. I've done well here before. I guess 18 years' experience gets you to hang in there. And to get over the line, it feels good. It feels so good."

Ferguson was runner-up following a final round of 66, while Norway's Kristian Krogh Johannessen was third on 18 under.

Paul McGinley says it "breaks my heart" to see a number of his close friends and former Ryder Cup team-mates join the controversial LIV Golf Invitational Series.

Golf has been divided over the past six months by the arrival of the Saudi-backed breakaway, which has seen a number of high-profile names defect from the PGA Tour.

Six more players were announced by LIV Golf this week, including reigning Open champion Cameron Smith, ahead of the series' latest big-money event in Boston.

The PGA Tour has banned those competing in LIV Golf from taking part in any of their competitions, though that is subject to another legal challenge.

The DP World Tour was unsuccessful in doing so, meanwhile, and 18 LIV players will compete in the PGA Championship at Wentworth next week.

That includes the likes of Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter, each of whom McGinley has previously teamed up with for Ryder Cup duty.

McGinley finds the rift difficult to accept and claims that no player on the DP World Tour wants the LIV golfers involved at Wentworth.

"It breaks my heart because I have an emotional connection with every one of those players," he told The Sunday Times.

"I will see Poulter and I'll shake his hand at Wentworth, the same with Westwood and all of those guys that I shared team rooms with. That bond will never be broken.

"But we're definitely on different sides now. And it's really sad that it has come to this. Every one of those players knew the consequences when they signed with LIV. 

"They also knew there was the potential for the Ryder Cup to be collateral damage in all of this. They still think they can play in the Ryder Cup. 

"Who knows what's going to happen in six months' time? I think, at this stage, it's highly unlikely that any of them will be involved in the Ryder Cup again.

"If this is how it pans out, it won't be because of [DP World Tour chief executive] Keith Pelley or the board say so.

"It's because our members, the players who have remained loyal to our tour, don't want the LIV guys anywhere near the Ryder Cup. 

"The feeling is that you cannot play [for] both sides. Mo Salah doesn't get to play for Liverpool one week and Real Madrid the next. LIV is a rival tour."

Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson stormed up the leaderboard in the second round of LIV Golf Boston but Talor Gooch remains on top one stroke ahead of tour newcomer Joaquin Niemann.

Johnson responded from his opening-day 67 with a seven-under-par round of 63 to move within two strokes of the lead on Saturday at The Oaks.

The 38-year-old American's stand-out day included eight birdies and an eagle on the par-five eighth hole, along with three birdies. Johnson had claimed the outright lead with three holes to play before Gooch regained it.

Gooch, who shared the lead with Matthew Wolff after the first day on Friday, remains on top at 12-under, with Niemann one shot behind and Johnson's round moving him up to 10-under.

Wolff slipped four strokes off the pace after carding 69 for the day, while tour newcomer Cameron Smith also dropped back with a one-under-par round of 69.

Anirban Lahiri is outright fourth at nine-under, with Jason Kokrak carding a five-under-par 65 to move into equal fifth with Bernd Wiesberger and Wolff at eight-under overall.

Johnson's surge along with Gooch's excellent two days means Four Aces GC are top of the standings in the team element at 22-under.

Hy Flyers GC, captained by Phil Mickelson, are second at 19-under led by Wiesberger and Wolff. Mickelson is back at three-over overall ahead of Sunday's final round.

Big new signings hit the ground running in the first round of LIV Golf Boston, but after 18 holes at The International Golf Club it is Matthew Wolff and Talor Gooch tied for the lead at seven under.

While Gooch got to his 63 in a traditional fashion, posting eight birdies and one bogey, Wolff had far more ups and downs, making up for his three bogeys with six birdies, an eagle and a hole-in-one – the first ace in LIV Golf history.

One stroke behind the leaders are new arrivals Cameron Smith and Joaquin Neimann, after both played in last week's PGA Tour Championship.

Smith had five birdies and two eagles, showing off his firepower, but a double-bogey on the par-four 14th hole cost him a chance at the first-round lead.

After his round, Smith called it "great fun" and said "it was nice to see a familiar face" about his pairing with Dustin Johnson.

The rest of the field is at least two further strokes back, with Kevin Na, Bernd Wiesberger, Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri occupying the tie for fifth at four under.

The logjam at three under includes Dustin Johnson and Pat Perez, who along with Gooch and Patrick Reed (one under) have their Four Aces GC sitting second in the team standings. They trail only Hy Flyers GC, consisting of Wolff, Wiesberger, Cameron Tringale (one over) and Phil Mickelson (four over, 45th out of 48).

Bryson DeChambeau and Carlos Ortiz are at one under, and the Koepka brothers – Brooks and Chase – shot even-par 70s.