BUSAN — Talor Gooch is tied for the lead at LIV Golf Korea after three rounds, matching Joaquin Niemann at the top of the leaderboard following Saturday’s play at Asiad Country Club in Busan. Gooch posted a one-under par 69 in the third round, maintaining his position after entering the day as the solo leader.

Gooch made 17 pars and one birdie during his third round, with his lone birdie coming at the par-5 15th hole after starting with 14 consecutive pars. His bogey-free performance kept him in contention heading into the final round. “Anytime you have a bogey-free round on a course like this, it’s a good thing,” he said.

Paired with Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith for the third round, Gooch acknowledged the unique atmosphere the pairing created. “Yeah, both of them are two of the biggest stars in the game, and obviously everywhere in the world they are,” he said. “But Bryson is a whole different animal. It’s always fun being paired with him. There’s always a little bit of chaos. But it’s awesome.”

Gooch reflected on his putting performance, noting missed opportunities on the greens. “I had a lot of good opportunities on the greens and just couldn’t get anything going,” he said. “I was leaving putts short all day. It was still a good day. I hit a lot of fairways.”

Gooch entered Saturday’s round atop the leaderboard after shooting a second-round 63 that included eight birdies. He now has four career LIV Golf victories, including two at LIV Golf Andalucia, and serves as captain of OKGC in his first season with the team. Sunday’s final round will mark the first time since LIV Golf Boston in 2022 that Gooch and Niemann have shared a final group. If Gooch avoids making a bogey on Sunday at LIV Golf Korea, there is a very good chance he will win for the fifth time since August 2023.