Despite a rain soaked first two days of golf, the 2019 Genesis Open yielded plenty of highlights across Riviera Country Club. One of the early marquee events of the calendar year is already playing catch-up heading into the weekend. Darkness and over an inch of rain delayed play for just six hours during Thursday’s opening round.
After play reset Thursday evening some competitors turned around for a marathon Friday which included 30 holes of play for the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and co-leader Justin Thomas. Sharing the lead at 10-under currently with Thomas at the close of business Friday is Australia’s Adam Scott.
Attempting to turn the corner on a lackluster 2018 season, Jordan Spieth held a majority of the first-round lead until J.B. Holmes made some magic of his own to best Spieth by one stroke with an 8-under round of 63. Like many others, Spieth will have to wait start his second-round mid-morning Saturday in what is expected to be back to back days of 20-plus hole golf in order to close out the Genesis Open by Sunday evening.
With so many storylines coming in and out of the Paradise Palisades already this week here are a few of the highlights from Thursday and Friday at the PGA Tour’s 2019 Genesis Open.
The par save that never happen
Due to inclement weather and worsening conditions, opening round play was halted early Thursday morning. The tournament committee ruled that when played resumed Thursday afternoon the scores from the morning would be completely wiped clean and reset. Unfortunately for Phil Mickelson it meant a hole out par save following a trip in and out of three bunkers wouldn’t count in the official stat book.
From tee ➡️ 🏖 ➡️ 🏖 ➡️ 🏖 ➡️ 🕳.
What a par by @PhilMickelson before the suspension of play.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/0OmVKH8Akl
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 14, 2019
All out hole outs
After running the 31-hole gauntlet Friday, Bryson DeChambeau added some excitement to an up and down day with three hole outs from around the green. DeChambeau’s finesse off the green included a par, birdie and even a 52-yard eagle at the 594-yard par-5 17th.
Excuse me?@b_dechambeau chips in to save par.#LiveUnderPar 💪 pic.twitter.com/lNpdk6lutj
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2019
🦅 @B_DECHAMBEAU HOLES OUT FOR THE THIRD TIME TODAY!#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/VDWgxQq7mJ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2019
Jordan Spieth set the pace early Friday including magic around the green at number 12.
With the flick of his wrist, @JordanSpieth produces a little greenside magic. #MustSeeMoments pic.twitter.com/CPO1Iewh5o
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2019
Currently tied for 55th at 1-under, Scott Stallings started his first round with a highlight of his own with an eagle chip-in at the par-5 opening first hole.
Who needs a putter?@StallingsGolf chips in for an early eagle at the @GenesisOpen.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/PLxFpRTETJ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 14, 2019
Birdies and Eagles soar at Riviera
On his way to a tie a top the leaderboard at 10-under, Justin Thomas was dialed in over a lengthy Friday of play including a long birdie putt at the par-3 14th.
Tracking … Tracking … Tracking …@JustinThomas34 with the putter raise. 🙌#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/i1XqClcect
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2019
During a roller coaster 30 holes of play Friday Tiger Woods made a brief run up the leaderboard fueled by four straight birdies.
Four 🐅 In 🐅 A 🐅 Row 🐅@TigerWoods is starting to make a run up the board. pic.twitter.com/RWh0utM7uv
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) February 15, 2019
Not to be outdone by four straight birdies, Woods stumbled down the stretch of his first round before opening his second round with the 43-foot roar of an eagle putt.
🐅 @TigerWoods from 43 feet for EAGLE. 🦅#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/UJsYiTcIH4
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 16, 2019
Rory McIlroy stuck his approach at the par-4 8th before draining his follow up putt for a long and much needed birdie.
Great putt by @McIlroyRory to move to 2-under.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/BsMlH3CBng
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2019
FedEx Cup leader Matt Kuchar went back to back with birdies at the 7th and 8th during his opening round.
Back-to-back 🐦
Matt Kuchar is making it look easy at the @GenesisOpen.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/Hwlt4d8R3M
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2019
Jon Rahm bends in a birdie to get to 3-under at the par-4 5th hole Friday.
Rolling along.@JonRahmpga is 3-under thru 5 holes.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/lEJNxrR3Dq
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2019
With the pin left in Thursday, Sung Kang drained a 33-foot putt for birdie at the par-4 3rd hole.
Number 3️⃣ …
3️⃣3️⃣ feet …
For a 3️⃣ on the scorecard …Only 3️⃣ players in this week's field have a better scoring average than Sung Kang at Riviera over the past five years (minimum 8 rounds).#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/CRgUbREBXS
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2019
A hole in one for Holmes
Following a bogey on number five, J.B. Holmes spun his tee shot at the par-3 6th straight into the bottom of the cup to tie the lead with an emphatic hole in one. Holmes would wrestle the outright lead away from Jordan Spieth following a birdie on the next hole.
What a way to tie the lead! That's an ACE for @JBHolmesgolf! pic.twitter.com/bJ1Y93Hh1H
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) February 15, 2019
The real heroes are highlighted Thursday
After the sky darkened and the rain poured down Thursday the grounds crew at Riviera Country Club banned together and turned the course around to ready the field for play by mid-afternoon.
HUGE thanks to the grounds crew at Riviera for getting the course ready for round 1 pic.twitter.com/Wn2xobeRqD
— The Genesis Invitational (@thegenesisinv) February 14, 2019
Main Photo
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