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A18 SPORTS
Saturday 16 February 2019
Holmes aces his way to 1st-round lead at Riviera

By DOUG FERGUSON Spieth took advantage of
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a the restart on Thursday. His
round where Tiger Woods opening shot on the par-4
kept missing short putts, 10th hit the cart path twice
J.B. Holmes took the lead and went into shin-high
because of a tee shot that grass so thick that it would
needed no putting at all. have been hard work just
Holmes made a hole-in- to get it out. The round was
one with an 8-iron on the scrapped and he returned
par-3 sixth hole, followed for a routine par.
with a birdie and wound He made the rest look easy
up with an 8-under 63 for a except for the 13th hole,
one-shot lead over Jordan where he hooked his tee
Spieth when the first round shot into a eucalyptus tree,
finally ended Friday. played a slice on the outer
"It was awesome to see side of the trees and got
that," Holmes said about his up-and-down for par.
ace. "It was probably better than
The ball landed well behind any of the birdies," he said.
the pin on the left side of He holed two chips for
the bunker and spun back birdie, one of them on the
some 20 feet on the rain- toughest hole at Riviera on
soaked greens of Riviera. No. 12, birdied all three of
"Hit it exactly how I wanted the par 5s and made a pair
it and it went in," Holmes of birdie putts from about
said. "It looked good the 10 feet when he returned
whole time." Friday morning.
Spieth first was set to tee off He said those six holes were
at 7:22 a.m. Thursday until the best the putter has felt
the round was scrapped in some time. "I was able to
after his opening tee shot kind of figure out a way to
on No. 10 and eventually feel some freedom in the
began anew seven hours stroke and I was able to
later because of the rain. roll a couple of those in,"
He played six holes Friday he said. Woods is the tour-
morning to complete a bo- nament host with his foun-
gey-free round of 64. dation running the event
Woods didn't start his 10th he first played in 1992 as a
appearance at Riviera as 16-year-old amateur. Next
a pro until Friday morning, year, the tournament gets
and while he got off to a elevated status on par with
rough start with a pair of J.B. Holmes hits his tee shot on the fourth hole as first round play continues during the Genesis the Memorial (Jack Nick-
three-putt bogeys, he an- Open golf tournament at Riviera Country Club on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in the Pacific Palisades laus) and Arnold Palmer
swered with four straight area of Los Angeles. Invitational by offering a
birdies around the turn. three-year exemption to
But then he three-putted three-putts. the rain, were in the group week. the winners, getting a 120-
from long range on the "I hit it well and putted at 66. Jimmy Walker shot The plan was to make the man field and offering $9.3
12th. The real blow was on awful," Woods said. "Four 67, as did Bill Haas, back cut Saturday afternoon, million in prize money.
the par-5 17th, where he three-putts is ridiculous." at Riviera after he was in- play until dark and then try But the course has never
missed a 20-foot birdie putt Justin Thomas and Adam volved in a fatal car crash to wrap up on Sunday. Two been kind to him. Riviera is
and then his 30-inch par Scott, whose lone victory last year. years ago, Dustin Johnson where Woods has played
putt missed the hole. at Riviera came in 2005 Everyone will face a long had to play 36 holes on the most times as a pro (9)
All four bogeys were from over 36 holes because of day before the end of the Sunday. without ever winning.q

Sandy Lyle, Stephen Ames share PGA Tour Champions lead

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Playing "Surprising, I just kept Electric Classic for his lone to be going at every flag Kent Jones shot 65.
partners Sandy Lyle and knocking some wedges senior title. basically out here." Steve Stricker opened with
Stephen Ames matched quite close and never "The course is there for the Jay Haas, at 65 years old, a 67. Bernhard Langer, the
the course record at really put the putter under taking," Ames said. "It's soft bettered his age for the first Oasis Championship winner
8-under 63 to share the pressure," Lyle said. "Today out there and the pins are time on the tour with a 64. last week near his home in
first-round lead Friday in was one of the good days somewhat accessible. "I've missed by one for the Boca Raton, had a 68. The
the PGA Tour Champions' and I might even have a Kept the ball in play and last six years," Haas said. "I 61-year-old German star
Chubb Classic. few beers at the bar before made the most of the shot 60 at the Schwab Cup won the event in 2011, 2013
Lyle topped a leaderboard I go and drive home." opportunities when they at Desert Mountain when and 2016. Hale Irwin, at 73
for the first time in 155 Ames had a hole-in-one arose. ... You've got to I was 59, and I shot a 61 years old, bettered his age
career starts on the 50-and- with a 9-iron on the 141- keep your foot down on somewhere when I was 60, for the 40th time on the
over tour. The 61-year-old yard 12th hole at The the pedal here because and a 62 when I was 61." tour, shooting a 70. He won
Scot won the 1985 British Classics at Lely Resort. He the golf course is so easy Dudley Hart, Glen Day, Ken the tournament in 1997 and
Open and 1988 Masters. won the 2017 Mitsubishi and soft, they're going Tanigawa, Dan Olsenand 2002.q