What's it like playing under the lights? Players discuss after opening round of LIV Golf Riyadh

What’s it like playing under the lights? Players discuss after opening round of LIV Golf Riyadh

Posted by author February 6, 2025 Golf

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Under the lights, drone and fireworks show, a 10-under 62. LIV Golf’s opening round of 2025 had it all.

Adrian Meronk leads 2025 LIV Golf Riyadh after that opening 62 at Riyadh Golf Club, but the story of the round was LIV Golf playing at night for the first time. The league’s shotgun start went off at 6:15 p.m. local time in Saudi Arabia, and the league’s 54 golfers took on the course under the lights.

Sebastian Munoz is second after an 8-under 64 while newcomer Tom McKibbin and Lee Westwood are tied for third at 7 under.

In the team competition, Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII has opened up a seven-shot lead over the Majesticks after the opening 18, sitting at 24 under.

LIV Golf under the lights: What they’re saying

Here’s what some LIV Golf players had to say about playing in competition at night.

Dustin Johnson: “I like it, it’s cool. But even though I’ve practiced the last three days at night, it’s still hard to get used to. For me, I struggle more with the wedges for some reason. It definitely is difficult, but everyone is doing it. I like it. I think it’s pretty fun to play a tournament at night. This is the best place to do it for us. Got off to a pretty good start.

Adrian Meronk: “It was definitely different, but I kind of prepared well last week. I played a couple of rounds of night golf in Dubai, and then obviously this week we had three days to prepare. I think I did a good job to get used to the lights, the shadows, and reading greens. I really enjoy it. It’s a lot of fun.

“It makes a big difference, especially around the greens and on the greens. It’s hard to see the breaks, sometimes the shadows on your way. Sometimes you move and the shadow moves with you so you cannot see the ball. Yeah, you can get used to it, and I’m happy how I prepared for this tournament.”

Lee Westwood: “Yeah, it presents all sorts of interesting and different challenges, teeing off at 6:15 at night. I was saying to Harold I think that’s the first time I’ve ever finished at 10:40 at night. I said, are you going to go and hit some balls or some putts, and he’s like, hell no.”

“The options, there’s so many options, but I guess the guys that come from America have got a bit of an advantage because they’ll be on a body clock that’s nine hours behind and have jet lag and be sleeping in until 11, 12 in the morning, and that’s what you want to do. I’ve been in Dubai for 12 days practicing, so I’m on their time, and waking up at 8:30 in the morning, it’s a long time between 8:30 and 6:15 teeing off. I can only do so much in the gym and have so many meals. I’ve caught myself having four or five meals during the day.

Sebastian Munoz: “I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it a lot, the experience. I felt like it was the first time we do it, and the visual and the golf ball, I really like it. It’s something different, something that we’re not used to it, and it’s nice.

“It wasn’t very cold. That was the one thing that we kind of got scared at the beginning of the week. The weather was awesome. The shadows, yeah, there’s a little shadow here and there, but we’ve hit so many balls that a little shadow shouldn’t be an issue.”