If you were to listen to the pros talk about this week’s Genesis Open, you would think you were at a testimonial dinner for the Riviera Country Club.
No doubt the gushing adjectives will come close to equaling the number of birdies as 143 professionals and one amateur tee off in Thursday’s first round. For at least one day, the talk will be about the elevated tee box on No. 1, the bunker in the middle of the sixth green, the 315-yard 10th hole, which Bubba Watson calls the most demanding par four he’s ever played in his life.
And who can forget the 475-yard finishing hole, seemingly all uphill, with its blind fairway and amphitheater-style green in the shadow of its Spanish-style clubhouse.
And then comes Friday.
PGA officials will do what they can to get as much play in as possible during Friday’s second round, but the 100% chance of rain coupled with an expected three inches of water will make that a difficult proposition.
But unlike a squall on an awards’ show red carpet, the expected downpour will only heighten the experience for the golfers when they likely return to play on Saturday.
Soft greens make it easier to place your approach shot near the pin. The soft, squishy fairways really won’t be a problem either as it’s not a bomber course for long hitters so not getting a roll won’t matter.
“I’m not a history buff, but I’ve never played good in the rain,” said Watson, a two-time winner and defending champ. “[The rain] always frustrates me a little bit, just the water dripping and stuff and keeping my mind at ease.
Adam Scott is making his first start of the year on the PGA Tour and is hoping he can use the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club as a springboard just the way he did a year ago. And he’s hoping he can carry that through the rest of the season this time.
Scott, the seventh-ranked player in the…
Adam Scott is making his first start of the year on the PGA Tour and is hoping he can use the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club as a springboard just the way he did a year ago. And he’s hoping he can carry that through the rest of the season this time.
Scott, the seventh-ranked player in the…
“Hopefully it rains enough or it thunders enough where we can postpone it to the next day,” Watson said. “It makes it easier for me.”
And while it’s easier to put the ball near the pin when the greens are water logged, it can be more difficult to putt.
“It’s not going to help the greens because when they are firm, they usually roll better,” Sergio Garcia said. “But it’s something we know how to deal with so it will be tough for everybody.”
Another past “winner” is Adam Scott, who was given the hardware in 2005 after taking a Monday playoff. Problem was the tournament was only 36 holes with no weekend play so it did not count as an “official” win.
“It is quite fascinating that I do have the trophy and the world ranking points and everything else but it’s not a win,” Scott said. “But I’m determined to get an official win here and hopefully it’s this week.”
The tournament boasts the best field of this season with eight of the top 10 players in attendance. Missing are Rory McIlroy (No. 2) and Henrik Stenson (No. 4).
In the bizarre PGA Tour season that starts in October and ends in September, there are already two three-time winners in Hideki Matsuyama and Justin Thomas, both of whom are playing at Riviera.
“Justin and I have gotten off to a really good start at the beginning of the season,” Matsuyama said through an interpreter. “Hopefully both of us can continue playing well and at the end of the season we will still be close as far as the rankings are concerned.”
Jordan Spieth paused for a second, pondering the pure silliness of the question.
“What’s the best thing you drank from that beautiful crystal trophy?” he was asked.
“Actually, nothing,” said the squeaky clean winner of last week’s tournament at Pebble Beach. “I don’t drink alcohol.”
“I just brought…
Jordan Spieth paused for a second, pondering the pure silliness of the question.
“What’s the best thing you drank from that beautiful crystal trophy?” he was asked.
“Actually, nothing,” said the squeaky clean winner of last week’s tournament at Pebble Beach. “I don’t drink alcohol.”
“I just brought…
If the math turns out right, either one of them could supplant Jason Day this week as world No. 1, a position he has held for 47 weeks.
“I need to focus on what I need to do because you can’t really focus on staying No. 1,” Day said. “The more you focus on the actual target itself, the more you attach yourself to it. You make mental errors out there, you get more frustrated, you do silly things on the golf course that you shouldn’t be doing.”
Another name to watch is Jordan Spieth, who avoided all silly things last week when he won at Pebble Beach.
“I just feel very confident about where my game’s at and I love coming back to this track [course],” Spieth said. “I would call it one of my top-five favorite tracks in the entire world — top couple inland courses for sure. It’s just beautiful. It’s very well designed and it’s in phenomenal shape right now.”
All that will change when it becomes a different course on Friday.
john.cherwa@latimes.com
@jcherwa
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