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                                                                                                       SPORTS Friday 17 February 2017
            Sam Saunders opens


            2-shot lead at Riviera



            DOUG FERGUSON                and as a grandfather, say-
             AP Golf Writer              ing that day, “There wasn’t
            LOS ANGELES (AP) — This is  a  big  difference  between
            the starring role Sam Saun-  the  man  you  saw  on  TV
            ders prefers.                and  the  man  we  knew
            Saunders, the grandson of  at  home.”  He  has  always
            Arnold  Palmer  who  so  fa-  been  known  as  Palmer’s
            mously kept his composure  grandson,  and  Saunders
            during  a  heartfelt  eulogy  has  learned  to  embrace
            of The King, rolled in birdie  it.  He  no  longer  worries
            putts  and  kept  a  clean  about  trying  to  make  a
            card at Riviera on Thursday  name  for  himself.  “I  don’t
            for  a  7-under  64  and  an  need  to  compete  against
            early  two-shot  lead  in  the  my  grandfather’s  career.
            Genesis Open.                Nobody  can,”  he  said.  “I
            Saunders  called  it  his  best  don’t care how many golf
            round  on  the  PGA  Tour,  tournaments  you  win,  no-
            and  it  was  merely  a  coin-  body’s  going  to  compete
            cidence  that  it  came  on  in the terms of doing what
            the  50-year  anniversary  of  he  did  for  the  game.  And
            Palmer  defending  his  title  for me to try to promote my
            at  the  Los  Angeles  Open,  own brand or name would
            when it was played at Ran-   be  foolish  because  I  have
            cho Municipal.               such a great opportunity to   Dustin Johnson tees off on the 16th hole during the first round of the Genesis Open golf tournament
                                                                      at Riviera Country Club Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.
            “He  just  always  talked  promote  and  to  continue
            about how much he loved  what he has already done.
            coming out there and play-   That’s  what  I’m  going  to
            ing,” Saunders said. “I think  do and not make it about
            his celebrity matched pret-  myself.”  The  morning  was
            ty  well  with  the  celebrity  perfect  for  scoring  once
            atmosphere that you have  the  fog  lifted,  and  Saun-
            here,  so  he  was  obviously  ders  rarely  had  a  round
            comfortable with that.”      with so little  stress. He only
            Saunders  had  a  two-shot  came close to making bo-
            lead  over  Dustin  Johnson,  gey twice, saving par with
            who has a chance to go to  an  8-foot  putt  on  the  par-
            No. 1 if he were to win this  3  fourth  hole  and  a  6-foot
            week. PGA Tour rookie J.T.  putt on the par-3 14th.
            Poston  joined  Johnson  at  Saunders,  with  only  con-
            66, while Phil Mickelson was  ditional  status  this  year,  is
            among those at 67.           playing on the first of what
            The first round was unlikely  figures to be several spon-
            to  finish  because  of  a  fog  sor  exemptions.  He  missed
            delay  in  the  morning,  and  the  cut  in  La  Quinta  and
            the bigger concern was a  Pebble  Beach  and  knew
            monster  storm  of  rain  and  with  the  forecast  so  dire
            wind  expected  to  arrive  that it would be key to get-
            along  the  California  coast  ting off to a good start.
            later Thursday.              Johnson  has  come  close
            Saunders  has  kept  a  busy  to  winning  Riviera,  one  of
            schedule over the last four  his favorite courses, four of
            months in the aftermath of  the  last  five  years  and  he
            Palmer’s  death.  He  is  tak-  looked as though he might
            ing on a bigger role at the  be tough to beat this week
            Arnold  Palmer  Invitational  when  he  holed  a  10-foot
            next month, along with be-   birdie putt on the 18th hole
            ing a husband and the fa-    as he made the turn, going
            ther  of  two  sons,  and  get-  out in 32.
            ting his golf game in shape.  He failed to birdie the par-
            “It’s been busy, but busy in  5  first  hole  when  his  ap-
            a good way,” he said.        proach  was  on  the  fringe
            Saunders  was  rock  solid  on  the  wrong  side  of  the
            Oct. 3 when he stood be-     green, forcing him to hit a
            fore  thousands  at  St.  Vin-  flop shot to the other side.
            cent College, and so many  Worse  yet,  he  was  stung
            more  watching  the  live  on the neck by a bee, and
            telecast  of  Palmer’s  me-  stood on the next tee rolling
            morial  service.  Speaking  a cold water bottle against
            without  notes,  Saunders  his neck as his brother and
            beautifully  captured  the  caddie,  Austin,  removed
            spirit  of  Palmer  as  a  golfer  the stinger.q
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