Northern Irishman McIlroy, making his first PGA Tour start of the year, was one stroke back after mixing five birdies with a bogey to finish level with Americans Ricky Barnes, Charles Howell III and amateur Charlie Danielson.
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Officials will also make space for at least one male and one female player from Brazil, and are committed to having at least one golfer from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. He was joined there by Englishman Justin Rose, who shot a two-under-par 69.
“You don’t really shoot 8 under around this place not playing good”, Villegas said. “I felt like my pace on the greens was good… and I lag-putted well”.
“I just want to let everyone know that I love the golf course and I love the community”, Watson said, grinning.
What a start this was to his first competitive experience at one of America’s most storied courses, situated just off Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Villegas had a chance for history as he stepped onto the ninth tee box needing a birdie to post a 61 and match the Riviera CC course record set by Ted Tryba back in the third round of the 1999 edition.
Padraig Harrington carded a very steady level-par 71, a bogey and a birdie the only slight tremors in a consistent round for the Dubliner.
That’s not the case at Riviera, where the course seems to be as big of a star as the players.
Five-time champion Karrie Webb of Australia was four strokes back after a 67. “It’s a real thinker’s golf course, and it’s a real treat to play something like this because we don’t get to play them that often anymore”. “I think the guys that are up at the top of the world rankings now, we like to play quite a bit…. He’s the same way”.
Bubba Watson, who won at Riviera two years ago with a 64-64 weekend, opened with a 66 along with Chez Reavie and Luke List.
“I’m practicing”, he added with a chuckle.
Spieth missed the cut in 2012 when he played in the tournament as an amateur, tied for 12th in 2014 and tied for fifth past year, when he was in contention until missing an approximately eight-foot par putt on the final hole and finishing one shot out of the playoff. I’ve shot 80 before – I’ve shot in the 80s a couple times on tour.
“Totally different”, Watson said of Thursday’s conditions after a rainy night and morning.
Some caddies and players wore black ribbons on their caps in the first round to mourn the death of Chris Roth, the caddie for UCLA alum Patrick Cantlay.
Cantlay, of Long Beach, is not in the NTO field this week. McIlroy played the 307-yard 10th hole close to perfection, with a tee shot left of the green and a pitch to 5 feet. “It’s just a traditional, old-school golf course that’s got a lot of history”.
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– Two-time NTO champ Fred Couples, 56, made a double bogey at No. 10 and shot 3 over.
