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SPORTS Saturday 17 February 2018

Cantlay extends Riviera lead; Woods begins near cut line

By DOUG FERGUSON winner at Riviera, ran off five
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pat- birdies in a six-hole stretch
rick Cantlay came within around his turn before he
an inch of a hole-in-one , was undone by a double
the start of three straight bogey on No. 5. His ap-
birdies that led to a 2-under proach went into shin-high
69 and a two-shot lead in grass short of the green
the Genesis Open. and he three-putted. Even
Cantlay, the No. 1 ama- so, he had a 70 and was
teur in the world when he in the mix heading toward
played at UCLA, had to the weekend. That would
wait until the end of Friday be considered progress.
to see if the lead held up. Watson hasn't won since his
Tiger Woods was among most recent Riviera victory
those playing in the after- in 2016. He was at No. 4 in
noon, when the greens typ- the world after that title.
ically are at their worst. He arrived this week at No.
Woods was on the cut line 117. The two-time Masters
when he began the sec- champion says he is get-
ond round. ting back some weight he
Cantlay was coming off a lost when he was ill. More
three-putt bogey when his putts are going in. One
tee shot at the par-3 sixth aspect of his personal-
— the hole with a bunker ity hasn't changed. When
in the middle of the green Watson is in L.A., he takes in
— landed above the flag a lot more than golf.
and to the right, and then Watson was scheduled to
rolled back down the slope play for Team Clippers in
just over the right edge of the celebrity game during
the cup. NBA All-Star weekend. He
"I actually missed a little suggested that he might
to the right, but it's a bowl have taped a show with Jay
back there so as long as Leno and perhaps spent
you get the number right, time with a friend named
it should be pretty close," Ellen (DeGeneres). He was
Cantlay said. in full celebrity mode when
He followed with a short he won at Riviera in 2016,
iron into 5 feet for birdie, a so maybe that's the recipe.
15-foot birdie on the next Dustin Johnson was just
hole and then a wild drive happy to still be in the
that led to a bogey on his game. He managed a 69
final hole. Cantlay, who on Friday, which should en-
won in Las Vegas last fall, able the defending cham-
was at 7-under 135. pion at No. 1 player in the
Tony Finau, who shared the world to make the cut.
18-hole lead with Cantlay, Depending on how the af-
recovered from a sluggish ternoon went, Johnson still
front nine with a 3-3 start to would only be eight shots Patrick Cantlay drives on the 12th tee in the second round of the Genesis Open golf tournament
the back nine that helped behind.That's a tribute to at Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles Friday, Feb. 16, 2018.
him salvage a 71. He was firm, dry Riviera and greens ahead. seven holes, but he still only and Troy Merritt (71) in the
two shots behind among that get bumpy in the af- Rafa Cabrera Bello tried in managed a 67. He joined group at 3-under 139.
the early finishers. ternoon and make it hard the morning. The Spaniard two-time U.S. Open cham- Jordan Spieth had a 70
Bubba Watson, a two-time for anyone to get to hard opened with six birdies in pion Retief Goosen (71) and was six shots behind.q