Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Friday 14 February 2020
Kuchar shoots 64 to lead Riviera; Tiger wastes strong start

By DOUG FERGUSON and he was trying to piece
AP Golf Writer something together for the
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tiger first round. It only lasted so
Woods began with an un- long.
knowing tribute to Kobe Kuchar made birdie on
Bryant by making an eagle two of the par 5s, made
putt that optical cameras two birdie putts of 30 feet
measured at 24 feet, 8 or longer and rarely was in
inches. He ended his open- trouble.
ing round with a reminder "To shoot a number like this,
that getting around Riviera you kind of do most things
unscathed is no small task. well," Kuchar said. "I didn't
That's what made Matt find myself in much trouble
Kuchar's day all the more today. ... I felt like it was just
remarkable. steady golf, a lot of oppor-
Kuchar drove to the edge tunities and I was able to
of the 10th green and two- convert on a good number
putted for birdie and kept of opportunities today"
right on rolling until he had K.H. Lee and Russell Hen-
a 7-under 64 on Thursday, ley also played bogey-
matching his best score at free and were at 67, along
Riviera and giving him a with Wyndham Clark from
three-shot lead in the Gen- the morning wave. Adam
esis Invitational. Schenk and Harold Var-
So clean was Kuchar's ner III each had 67 in the
round that he only once afternoon under a little
had to stress over a par putt, more breeze and greens
and he made the 10-footer that were bumpier from so
at the par-3 fourth. much foot traffic during the
"I think it's one of the few day.
courses that has truly stood Rory McIlroy opened with
the test of time," Kuchar a 68 in his return to No. 1 in
said. "It was a great test of the world, and it took him
golf 50 years ago when Ben time to get going.
Hogan was playing, it's a McIlroy's opening tee shot
great test today with Tiger was pure enough, but it
Woods and all the young bounced over the 10th
boys playing." green and rolled up near
The conditions were ide- the lip of a back bunker. He
al once the morning chill left his first shot in the sand
gave way to mild sunshine, and did well to escape with
and Kuchar took advan- par, only to miss 3-foot putts
tage in the morning. As Tiger Woods reacts after missing a putt on the eighth hole during the first round of the Genesis on the next two holes —
much as Kuchar loves the Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in the Pacific one for birdie, one for par.
course, he has only one Palisades area of Los Angeles. He had to scramble his way
top 10 in his 13 previous ap- Associated Press along the back until blast-
pearances. ing a 3-wood to about 30
Woods was 4 under through ie there, his last one of the sand wedges he used in into the left trees on No. feet on the par-5 17th and
eight holes and had to set- round. the Phoenix Open, had 13 and got up-and-down making eagle, and then
tle for a 69. "Ironic having those two FootJoys of purple-and- from 165 yards for par. He adding an eagle on par-5
His record at Riviera is un- numbers," Woods said of gold. They didn't help him dropped another shot on opening hole.
der far greater scrutiny, the length of his eagle putt. much on this day. the 18th when after hitting The biggest challenge was
especially this week as he "And then No. 8, happened He opened with a 74 and so many drives to the left, the cold air in the morning.
tries for his 83rd PGA Tour to hit one in there close was in danger of missing he leaked one badly to the McIlroy ripped a drive — he
victory to set the career and had a nice little kick-in the cut for the second time right and had to pitch out did that a lot in the open-
mark he now shares with there for birdie." this year. to the fairway, slamming his ing round — into the par-
Sam Snead. Woods has not Brooks Koepka had Nike Woods seemed bent on iron into the cart path in dis- 5 11th and then came up
won in 10 appearances as design some purple-and- having his say at Riviera gust as he walked through 30 yards short with a flush
a pro, two others as a teen- gold Mamba golf shoes with the eagle and two the crowd. 3-wood. About two hours
age amateur. last October because Bry- more birdies through eight "Just didn't hit many good later, he had 289 yards for
This one held promise, es- ant inspired him during his holes, leaving him three off shots on the back nine," his second into the par-5
pecially after he drilled an return from injury. Koepka the lead and the back nine Woods said. "Made a cou- 17th and hit 3-wood to pin-
8-iron into the par-5 open- called the shoe company to play. But he couldn't ple loose swings and made high.
ing hole and made the after hearing of Bryant's keep his swing together, a couple good saves on "It just shows you what tem-
eagle putt. The death of death in a helicopter crash and it eventually caught the back nine for par, but perature does," McIlroy
Bryant on Jan. 26 is still raw and suggested something up with him. just wasn't able to get any said.
in Los Angeles, and the tour be done, oblivious that he A drive to the right on No. birdies on the back nine." Patrick Cantlay and Patrick
dedicated No. 8 — Bryant had requested the shoes 11 hit a eucalyptus tree and He said his duties as tourna- Reed were among those at
wore Nos. 8 and 24 during months earlier. He opened ricocheted to the left side ment host kept him away 68.
his 20 years with the Lakers with a 69. of the fairway. He missed from the practice range ex- Even in mint conditions,
— with a purple-and-gold Justin Thomas, who auc- the green to the left on No. cept for a short time before only about one-third of the
tee sign. Woods made bird- tioned off Kobe-themed 12 for bogey. He hit a drive the pro-am Wednesday, field broke par.q