GOLF: Thomas Detry caps sparkling LIV debut with share of Riyadh lead

Belgium’s Thomas Detry made an instant impact in his LIV Golf debut, firing a bogey-free 7-under 65 to share the first-round lead at the season opener in Riyadh. Detry is tied with Peter Uihlein, holding a one-shot advantage over the rest of the field.

FIELD LEVEL MEDIA / Reuters

February 5, 2026

FILE PHOTO: Belgium’s Thomas Detry lines up a putt on the 16th green during the first round of the BMW Championship golf tournament in Owings Mills, Maryland, on August 14, 2025.

Rafael Suanes/File Photo/Reuters

Newcomer Thomas Detry wasted no time making an impact on the international LIV Golf stage, sharing the first-round lead Wednesday at the season-opening event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Playing his first tournament as a full-time LIV Golf member, the 33-year-old Belgian carded a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 at Riyadh Golf Club to tie RangeGoats GC’s Peter Uihlein atop the leaderboard.

Detry, whose most recent victory came at the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open last February, joined Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC during the offseason. Despite adjusting to a new environment, he showed little sign of discomfort on the course.

“First day on the job, so it was a bit of a change for me and I was a little nervous,” Detry said. “I drove it so well out there, it made my job pretty easy.”

Detry collected birdies on holes 1, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14 and 18 to set the early pace. Uihlein matched him with a strong round that included an eagle on the par-5 13th hole, giving the duo a one-shot lead over the rest of the 57-man field.

The event also marked LIV Golf’s transition from its traditional 54-hole format to a 72-hole tournament. Uihlein welcomed the added round, saying it plays to his strengths.

“I’m not scared of a blowup every now and then on a hole,” Uihlein said. “Now I have more holes to make it up. I think it’s going to benefit me long-term.”

Australian rookie Elvis Smylie stood alone in third place after posting a 6-under round, embracing both the nerves and excitement of his LIV debut.

“I think there were a little bit of nerves and excitement, but I showed what I’m capable of today,” Smylie said.

Six golfers were tied for fourth at 5 under par: South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, South Korea’s Byeong Hun An, Americans Talor Gooch and Sebastian Munoz, England’s Tyrrell Hatton, and Spain’s Jon Rahm.

Munoz’s performance helped lift Torque GC into the team lead at 15 under par. Southern Guards GC followed at 13 under, with Legion XIII in third at 11 under. 4Aces GC sat tied for fourth at 10 under.

— Field Level Media/Reuters