Brooks Koepka shoots lowest LIV Golf score yet to lead Jeddah Invitational

Brooks Koepka appears to have finally found a spark on the LIV Golf Tour after carding a fantastic 62 in the first round of the Jeddah Invitational in Saudi Arabia.

The four-time major champion made his first LIV top-10 last week at the Bangkok Invitational and he has gone from strength to strength at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on Friday.

Koepka made eight birdies and no bogeys to reach 8-under-par, two shots ahead of South African Charl Schwartzel, the first-ever winner on the Saudi-backed series at the Centurion Club near London in June.

The 32-year-old joined LIV Golf at the Portland Invitational and last week at Stonehill Golf Course, he and Bryson DeChambeau were critical of the Official World Golf Ranking's alleged hesitance to grant the rebel tour ranking points.

Since his last appearance on the PGA Tour at this year's Valspar Championship, Koepka has fallen from 21st to 33rd in the world rankings. Nonetheless, he showed signs of his old World No.1 self in Jeddah today.

#SMASHGC are flying!



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— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) October 14, 2022

"I played really well. I didn't drive it that great, but I struck it really well and I've been working on that a lot with Claude (Harmon III), so I'm very happy," Koepka said.

"I don't know if that will ever happen again (Brooks and Chase Koepka at the top of the leaderboard). That was pretty neat, making the turn there at 10 and seeing both Koepkas up there. It was cool for me, it was really special and it gives me goosebumps even thinking about it."

Patrick Reed, who has made three top-fives on the LIV Golf Series, was impressive again in the first round. He carded a 65 to sit three shots behind Koepka.

Phil Mickelson's form is beginning to improve since making the controversial switch five months ago. He shot 3-under-par in the same week he denied ever having an interview with Alan Shipnuck, the journalist to whom he uttered the infamous "scary m*********ers" quote.

Sergio Garcia also carded a 67 to sit five shots behind Koepka. Earlier in the week, the Spaniard effectively ended his Ryder Cup career by admitting some DP World Tour players and the Tour itself wouldn't welcome him to Italy in 2023.

As LIV Golf's quest for a television broadcast deal continues, the viewing figures on the YouTube broadcast stood at 17,000 as Koepka started to heat up later in his round.