For all the midrange putts Rory McIlroy sank at Riviera on Saturday, including a par-saving 19-footer on the 18th hole that kept him within two shots of the Northern Trust Open lead, the one he probably felt most sure of somehow eluded the cup.
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Kokrak has never won on the PGA Tour, though power can go a long way at the Riviera course under these conditions and he has plenty of it.
Spieth dropped six shots over the last seven holes Thursday at Riviera, capping it off with a three-putt double bogey from 8 feet for an 8-over 79 in the Northern Trust Open. Johnson has been the runner-up at Riviera each of the last two years, while Watson won the Northern Trust Open two years ago with a 64-64 weekend. Johnson, Troy Merritt and Watson are tied for third, two shots off the pace.
McIlroy has got that bid off to a solid start in in California, carding a four-under-par 67, and only a sublime round from Camilo Villegas left him five shots off the lead. This time, he played too much of a fade around the eucalyptus trees, and it tumbled down the hill next to the concessions stand. His chip raced by the hole, leaving a downhill par putt form 18 feet that he made for par.
“It always comes down to making the putts out here”, he said.
World number 7, Justin Rose, sits five shots back at 5-under-par at his second PGA TOUR stop of the year.
It was just the third missed cut in the 22-year-old’s past 20 worldwide starts and the first time he has missed one since last year’s Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston in September.
“But there’s a lot of holes where you can make birdie”.
Johnson was hitting the driver so well that after a high cut that went 332 yards on the 12th hole, he tried the same shot on the 13th. “For me, I’m going to go out and try to do the same thing, keep my head down, try to take deep breaths and try to slow it down and hopefully it works out”.
The world No 3 opened with an easy birdie at the par-five first, and he then thrilled the cast galleries with a remarkable 60-foot putt for an unlikely three at the third.
There was levity in those remarks, but Spieth is clearly conscious that the year’s first major championship is not far away, and that Rory McIlroy, the world No3, is stalking Spieth’s status at the top of the pile.
Yet even with Spieth’s absence this weekend, there is still a loaded field featuring a mix of marquee stars (Johnson, McIlroy and Watson) and unheralded players looking to get off to strong starts in 2016.
“I’m definitely happy with my position”, said the nine-times PGA Tour victor. He has been playing really solidly as of late and it’s because he has gotten a little more consistent with his putter.
“I hit just a 4-wood into 17. I felt like I rolled it really well”. “I love coming back here”.
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“I felt like there was a couple rounds last week where I shot 2 under and I was more miserable than I was today”, Spieth said.
