Page 20 - AT

A20 SPORTS
Saturday 15 February 2020
Kuchar leads by 2 at Riviera as Woods falls 9 shots behind

By DOUG FERGUSON to present any problems,
AP Golf Writer especially after Woods
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matt crushed a 335-yard drive to
Kuchar made a mess of the middle of the fairway.
the easiest hole at Riviera. He hung his head im-
He couldn't find the fairway mediately after a chun-
and felt he was on the de- ked pitching wedge that
fensive all afternoon Friday plugged into the bunker
in the Genesis Invitational. short of the green, leaving
He was good enough with no shot to a front pin. He
the short irons that Kuchar blasted that through the
still managed a 2-under 69 green, chipped back to
and built a two-shot lead 7 feet and missed putt for
over Rory McIlroy and two double bogey.
others going into the week- "I just hit it fat," he said.
end at Riviera. "Honestly, I was just trying to
"It definitely wasn't my best cut a little wedge in there
stuff today," Kuchar said. and get it up in the air."
"Two under was an awfully After two birdies on the par
good score for the way I 5s around the turn — Nos.
drove it." 17 and 1 — Woods gave
Tiger Woods happily would away another shot with
have taken a score like Adam Scott, of Australia, tees off on the 17th hole during the second round of the Genesis sand wedge from light
that. Instead, he made Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club, Friday, Feb. 14, 2020, in the Pacific Palisades rough into the front bun-
his bid for a first victory at area of Los Angeles. Associated Press ker on No. 3 for bogey. He
Riviera and a record 83rd bogeyed the par-3 fourth,
title on the PGA Tour a lot ner III, who had a 68 in the a couple loose shots here days before Christmas. and then he three-putted
tougher. Two swings with a morning. and there, but I'm thinking "You're never quite sure from about 50 feet up the
wedge wound up costing Kuchar was at 9-under 135. my way around the golf coming off eight weeks slope on the par-3 sixth.
Woods three shots, and his He began with a bogey course and that's what this how it's going to feel, but Johnson, who won big at
73 left him nine shots be- on the par-5 opening hole, place is all about. You can I was really hitting the ball Riviera three years ago,
hind. one of only two players in hit a few squirrelly shots and out of the middle of the bounced back from his
"I made some pretty bad the 121-man field to not get away with it as long as club," Scott said. "That opening 72 with a 66 and
mistakes out there," Woods make par or better. Kuchar you miss it in the right plac- gave me a bit of confi- was among those five shots
said. went long of the green, es, and for the first couple dence to just kind of keep behind. Brooks Koepka had
He can't afford any more, took two chips to get on days I've done that. I'm doing what I'm doing and a 73 and was nine shots be-
not with 44 players ahead the green and missed a 15- feeling pretty good about it'll all fall into place rather hind.
of him, including past foot par putt. my game." than go in search for what At least they're still playing.
champions like Adam Scott "You feel like you've already Scott has a trophy from Riv- I'm doing wrong." Justin Thomas opened with
and Dustin Johnson, and given up two shots on the iera, just not an official vic- Woods didn't have to a 74 and never got any-
players who would desper- day. Never a fun way to tory. He won in 2005 when search long to figure out his thing going in the morning.
ately like to add their name start," Kuchar said. "But there was so much rain the errors. He didn't make a birdie
to the list of winners at this knowing there's 17 holes to tournament was reduced He started well enough until his 16th hole and shot
historic club. go, there's still room to fig- to 36 holes, and he won in with a smart choice to hit 71, missing the cut for the
McIlroy, in his return to No. ure it out." a playoff Monday. iron on the reachable par- second time in his last three
1 in the world, handled the Wyndham Clark had a 68 He returned from a two- 4 10th because of the back starts. Phil Mickelson, com-
par 5s and kept mistakes and joined McIlroy and month break with a 7-under right pin position, a wedge ing off a pair of third-place
to a minimum in his round Varner in the group two 64 that left him three shots into about 12 feet and a finishes in Saudi Arabia and
of 67, which puts him in the shots behind. behind. Scott hasn't played birdie. And he was never Pebble Beach, shot 74 and
final group Saturday with "I'm managing my game since he won the Australian in too much trouble. The missed the cut for the third
Kuchar and Harold Var- well," McIlroy said. "I've hit PGA Championship three 15th hole did not appear time this year.q
7-time major champion Inbee

Park tied for lead Down Under

Park shot 4-under 69 to put off on the weekend.” After who has two career runner-
her at 10-under 136 at Roy- an afternoon of misty rain up finishes, including at the
al Adelaide, level with first- and wind gusts up to 20 2017 AIG Women’s British
round leader Jodi Ewart mph, Ewart Shadoff joined Open. “I didn’t get off to
Shadoff (70). “It was a little Park at the top of the lea- the greatest of starts but I
bit more calm this morn- derboard. Two early bo- managed to fight back.”
ing, so it was nice to play geys dropped the English- Jillian Hollis (69), was in third
out there,” said Park, look- woman off the pace, but place, one stroke behind.
In this Thursday, June 20, 2019, file photo, Korea's Inbee Park ing for her first win since the she rallied with five birdies Defending champion Nelly
walks off the 10th tee during the first round of the KPMG Women's 2018 Bank of Hope Found- to grab a share of the 36- Korda (73) was six strokes
PGA Championship golf tournament, in Chaska, Minn.
Associated Press ers Cup. “My putting was hole lead. “It was a differ- behind. Five-time cham-
consistent, like the last cou- ent day today. The wind pion Karrie Webb, whose
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) LPGA Tour victory on Friday ple of days, so it was good. was obviously a lot stron- lead-up to the tournament
— Seven-time major cham- by taking a share of the I just love the golf course ger, so it was a lot tougher, was hampered by a virus,
pion Inbee Park moved second-round lead at the and the atmosphere here. but I played really steady missed the cut after a sec-
into contention for her 20th Women’s Australian Open. So, hopefully I can pull it again,” said Ewart Shadoff, ond consecutive 74.q