LIV Golf 2022: Cam Smith Trails by 1 Stroke After 1st Round Since Leaving PGA Tour

Matthew Wolff and Talor Gooch sit atop the leaderboard after one day of action in the LIV Golf Invitational Series at The International Golf Club in Bolton, Massachusetts.

Wolff and Gooch finished the first round of LIV Golf's Boston event at a seven-under 63. However, they hold just a one-shot lead over Cameron Smith, who is making his LIV Golf debut after departing the PGA Tour.

LIV Golf Bedminster winner Henrik Stenson, meanwhile, was a late scratch from the event and replaced by 18-year-old Shergo Al Kurdi, who shot for par. He finished better than Phil Mickelson, who had a rough outing as he finished three over par.

Here's a look at the leaderboard after the first day and a quick recap of the action.

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LIV Golf Boston Leaderboard

T1. Matthew Wolff: -7

T1. Talor Gooch: -7

T3. Cameron Smith: -6

T3. Joaquin Niemann: -6

T5. Kevin Na: -4

T5. Bernd Wiesberger: -4

T5. Louis Oosthuizen: -4

T5. Paul Casey: -4

T5. Anirban Lahiri: -4

Full leaderboard available at LIVGolf.com

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Wolff was one of the most impressive performers Friday and hit the shot of the afternoon with an ace on the second hole, marking the first hole-in-one in LIV Golf history.

The 23-year-old went on to card three birdies on the front nine before carding three birdies, an eagle and three bogeys on the back nine. He finished out the afternoon with a birdie on the 18th hole.

Wolff, who attended Oklahoma State University, had played on the PGA Tour for four years before leaving for LIV Golf. He won just one PGA Tour event and had two top-ten finishes before departing.

When he made the switch to LIV Golf, he said he felt like it was a better decision for his mental health because the breakaway circuit has a better schedule and format.

Gooch had a similarly impressive day, carding five birdies on the front nine before closing out the afternoon with three birdies and a bogey on the back nine. Like Wolff, he finished the day with a birdie on Hole 18.

Gooch, 30, had also played on the PGA Tour before joining LIV Golf. He had just one victory on the Tour and four top-10 finishes.

While Smith is just one shot off the lead, his LIV Golf debut performance was impressive. He carded three birdies, an eagle and a bogey on the first nine holes before adding two birdies, an eagle and a double bogey on the back nine.

He would be in the lead had he not carded a double bogey on the 14th hole.

Smith will look to claim the lead during Round 2 of LIV Golf's Boston event Saturday. There's still a long way to go, but if Smith wins in his debut tournament, it will be quite impressive.