DORAL, Fla. (AP) — Sergio Garcia birdied his final hole Saturday for a 4-under 68, giving him a two-shot lead in LIV Golf Miami as he goes after his first title in the Saudi-funded circuit.
Garcia has lost in two playoffs during his three years with LIV, including one to Joaquin Niemann in Mexico at the start of the season.
He led by two shots over Talor Gooch (70), Matthew Wolff (69), Dean Burmester (69) and Tyrrell Hatton (67). Gooch birdied his last two holes at Trump National Doral.
Garcia was at 9-under 135.
It was a tough day for several players going to the Masters next week. Brooks Koepka, the PGA champion, shot a 76. Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, one shot out of the lead going into the second round, shot 76.
Anthony Kim had an 81 in his third event since joining LIV after a 12-year hiatus.
Cameron Smith withdrew because of food poisoning, which LIV said he had earlier in the week. Smith shot a 75 in the opening round. He was replaced by Ben Campbell of New Zealand, whose round will count Sunday when all four scores go toward the team total.
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Matthew Wolff of RangeGoats GC hits from the seventh tee during the second round of LIV Golf Miami at the Trump National Doral on Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Miami. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf via AP)
Peter Uihlein of RangeGoats GC hits from the ninth tee during the second round of LIV Golf Miami at the Trump National Doral on Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Miami. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf via AP)
Captain Sergio Garcia of Fireballs GC hits from the third tee during the second round of LIV Golf Miami at the Trump National Doral on Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Miami. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf via AP)
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia reported some 60 drones and several missiles shot down over its territory overnight into Sunday, with Ukraine in turn saying it destroyed over 30 Russian drones. Russia’s renewed offensive continues to play out in Ukraine’s war-ravaged northeast.
Russian air defenses shot down 57 Ukrainian drones over its southern Krasnodar region overnight Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday morning.
Local military officials said drone debris hit an oil refinery in the town of Slavyansk-on-Kuban, but there was no fire or damage. Local news outlet Astra published videos appearing to show an explosion at the refinery as it was hit by a drone. The videos could not be independently verified.
Nine long-range ballistic missiles and a drone were destroyed over the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula, following Friday morning’s massive Ukrainian drone attack that cut off power in the city of Sevastopol.
A further three drones were shot down over the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine. According to regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov, a church roof was set on fire by falling drone debris, but there were no casualties.
In Ukraine, air force officials said air defense shot down all 37 Russian drones launched against the country overnight.
In the northeastern Kharkiv region, where Moscow recently launched a new offensive, regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said Sunday morning that one person died and 11 were wounded as a result of shelling over the previous day.
Ukrainian troops are fighting to halt Russian advances in the Kharkiv region that began late last week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday during a visit to China that Moscow’s offensive in the Kharkiv region aims to create a buffer zone but that there are no plans to capture the city.
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Morton reported from London.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov and Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov during their meeting at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Ukrainian police officers look for fragments of a glide bomb in front of damaged house after a Russian airstrike on a residential neighbourhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
A Ukrainian police officer and war crime prosecutor inspect fragments of a glide bomb in front of damaged house, after a Russian airstrike on a residential neighbourhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
