Sergio Garcia, co-leader in the Chicago LIV

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Spanish golfer Sergio García won't be participating in the upcoming Ryder Cup, but he displayed top-notch skills during the first round of the LIV Golf event in Chicago. He shot a 5-under 66 to join a five-way tie for the lead.

Sergio García, results

García is tied at the top with South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen, Australia's Jediah Morgan, Colombia's Sebastián Muñoz, and India's Anirban Lahiri. Ten players are one stroke behind with 4-under 67, including Chile's Joaquín Niemann and Patrick Reed.

Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau are part of a group at 3-under 68.

Playing as the captain of Fireballs GC, García recorded three birdies at the beginning of his round at Rich Harvest Farms before making an eagle on the 10th hole, a 626-yard par-5.

He briefly led outright at 6-under when he birdied the 15th hole, a par-3, but stumbled with his only bogey of the day on the next hole and lost momentum.

"Given the conditions, the course is pretty gettable," García said.

"Actually, I'm surprised there weren't a couple more lower scores out there," he added after his round.

Morgan collected seven birdies but suffered a double bogey halfway through his round. He's fighting to keep his LIV Golf card as the season winds down.

He's currently ranked 46th in the season standings among 50 full-time players.

As for the other Spanish golfers, Eugenio López-Chacarra sits at 16th place with -3 after racking up five birdies and two bogeys in the first round.

Meanwhile, David Puig hit four birdies, one bogey, and one double-bogey to settle at 33rd place with -1.

Stinger GC captain Oosthuizen is the only co-leader who stayed bogey-free on Friday. His all-South African group also leads the team standings.

Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel (4-under), and Dean Burmester (4-under) put Stinger at 13-under, one stroke ahead of Fireballs and Crushers GC.

Stinger ranks third in the season-long team standings with 156 points, trailing 4Aces GC and Torque GC. They're vying for the Team Championship.