Tiger Woods

A look at how Tiger Woods fared in the opening round of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club.

Tiger Woods made his first official start since The Open Championship on Thursday at the Genesis Invitational. Ultimately, the front nine was mostly about making par for Woods. It was certainly a good start.

While a torrid start from Max Homa and Jon Rahm were the talk of the tournament early Thursday at the 2023 Genesis Invitational, it was how arguably the ...

His putting has kept him at level par, but it's starting to get chilly and I'm interested to see how his long game holds up coming to the house. Four holes to go to get it back to level or even under par. Nice move late in the day, and he's right on the probably cut line with 20 holes left before the cut is made. Keith Mitchell joins Max Homa at the top of the leaderboard with a 7-under 64. [pic.twitter.com/VfDTmuY2V0] [February 17, 2023] A 2-under 69 -- his first score of 2 under since the first round of the 2020 Masters, which was played in November. "Momentum is a big thing in sports, but if you put the effort that needs to be put in throughout the year and weeks off and at home and you do the little things right, you give yourself a better chance of never really hopefully feeling that," he said. It would be surprising if he wasn't in the mix late on Sunday. He is absolutely a problem for everyone involved, and if he somehow wins this week that would mean he lost to nine golfers in five PGA Tour events before the Florida swing. There's still a long way to go, but the caliber of golf he's playing -- positive strokes gained approach in his last eight starts -- combined with his history at Riv -- three consecutive top 10s -- make him a scary proposition to deal with the rest of the way. I posed the question last week: Is Homa the third-best player in the world (behind Rory McIlroy and Rahm)? Woods' closing kick was nearly as remarkable as his speed off the tee, and he once again reminded us why he's the best to ever do it.

Woods finished with a flourish at Riviera Country Club in an afternoon where he appeared to move well throughout the round.

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods walk off the 18th hole after each made birdie, along with Justin Thomas, in the first round of the Genesis Invitational. Harry How.

But the classic moment came when Woods sidled up near JT at the side of the green and flashed him the “look.” Woods was coming off two straight birdies; Thomas had birdied 17; and McIlroy had the best score at three under, even after burning the edge with his birdie putt on the previous hole. That was the silent exchange that took place between Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas on the 18th green Thursday at Riviera.

Tiger Woods marked his return to competitive action with a closing trio of birdies as he carded 69 during the first round of the Genesis Invitational.

“I happened to actually hit some good shots finally and made a couple of putts,” Woods said. The 33-year-old shot an opening four-under 67 to be three strokes back, while Scheffler could only manage 70. It was a nice finish.”

Steve Williams was brought in to help Adam Scott hunt big-game events. But he almost didn't make it to Riviera in time.

“It’s just funny how at different times in your life — he’s now hit a point where his kid’s grown up and probably doesn’t want to hang with Dad quite as much and he’s itching to get back out here,” Scott said pre-tournament. “He’s a pretty intense guy,” he said. “Most people know I’m not afraid to speak my mind,” he said. 8 and a par at 9 before signing for 69. If you’re out here and you’re competing, the talent pool is so deep, you have to be 100 percent tuned in to what you do. It was also very hard to leave,” he said. “It was very difficult to get here. Cyclone Gabrielle ripped through New Zealand’s North Island earlier this week, leaving a trail of destruction and flooding in its wake. Scott sees Williams as a key to peak performance. But Thursday marked his first round on the PGA Tour in more than three seasons. “I haven’t caddied since 2019 out here, so it’s good to be out here again.” He helped guide Adam Scott to a first-round two-under 69.

Tiger Woods said he was trying to stay calm throughout his first round at the Genesis Invitational on Thursday, where he posted a two-under-par 69 in his ...

"I probably should have appreciated the fans more than I did, but there was so much going on in my head trying to get the ball in the correct spots and the correct feels just because I haven't done this in a while," said Woods. A frenzy of a finish.— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) But he whipped the crowd into a frenzy as he drained a more-than 23-foot putt on 17 and finished five shots shy of clubhouse leaders Max Homa and Keith Mitchell (both 64). Woods, playing alongside Rory McIlroy (67) and Justin Thomas (68), chipped into a bunker on 10, leading to one of three bogeys on the day. "Misses, angles, wind - these are all things that have come second nature to a lot of these guys - I haven't really done this in a while," said the 15-times major winner on Thursday. Pacific Palisades - Tiger Woods said he was trying to stay calm throughout his first round at the Genesis Invitational on Thursday, where he posted a two-under-par 69 in his first non-major PGA Tour event since October 2020.

Tiger Woods hugs Rory McIlroy after the first round of the Genesis Invitational. Ronald Martinez. PACIFIC PALISADES, ...

At the par-3 fourth, where the group had to wait several minutes, Woods sat on a cooler with Thomas and untied his right shoe to give his foot some breathing room. “The ebb and flow of needling each other, encouraging each other and telling stories. In the scoring room afterward, Woods said McIlroy announced that he needed to go practice with his driver. “Right behind you,” Woods joked, knowing full well that he would be heading back to his hotel room for extensive icing treatment to prep for his 7:24 a.m. But he still slightly dragged his right leg due to the ankle that was damaged in his car accident two years ago, as well as the plantar fasciitis that he’s contended with more recently. It was a lively and big crowd gathered in front of the iconic clubhouse and lined the first hole, but it wasn’t the zoo that some might have expected. Woods joined McIlroy and Thomas as the trio birdied the easy, par-5 first hole, but he made only one birdie against three bogeys over the next 14 holes. “So, I've had so many surgeries that the ankle just keeps changing, the leg keeps changing. Now, this was a Thursday in the big city after all. Even when Woods made a third straight birdie at the 18th hole to shoot a hard-fought two-under-par 69—five shots more than leaders Max Homa and Keith Mitchell—Riviera’s grassy amphitheater was only about half full. Justin Thomas arrived, followed by McIlroy, and if the cheers and chants for Woods were hearty, they were hardly much louder. Golf moves on, and Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler are now the outlines that people recognize just as well from a distance.

Photos of Tiger Woods back on the fairway in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club after a seven-month hiatus from the PGA Tour.

A two-sport scholarship athlete at the University of Maine, Orono, she still holds the record for five goals in one field hockey game. She has been a staff photographer with the Los Angeles Times since 1994. Gina Ferazzi grew up in the small New England town of Longmeadow, Mass.

Tiger Woods is back at the Genesis Invitational and fans love it. They're not alone, though. Players are loving it, too.

[PodBean](https://dropzonegolf.podbean.com/) [Stitcher](https://www.stitcher.com/show/golfcom-podcast) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5tCHGYbvzziD2cyntgfseS?si=7d9c60166f054228) [iHeart](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-drop-zone-golf-podcast-86279832/) [Colt Knost](https://golf.com/news/rickie-fowler-tpc-scottsdales-16th-crowd/) was the walking reporter with Woods group Thursday. But you could see it most in a harmless conversation between Woods and Jason Day on Tuesday afternoon, which already feels like weeks ago. His performance made things at least a little weird for McIlroy and Thomas, who were relegated to supporting duty for the first time in a while. With wild winds delaying Rai’s own practice round, he introduced himself to Woods and learned all about his garden and backyard short game area. After the round, he shook his head with a knowing smile. It was just one of the many signs that Woods is still a thrill for all his colleagues, even if they’re his competitors, too. On 18, JT calmly curled in a birdie from 28 feet that sent a jolt into the amphitheater behind 18. — Max McGreevy was up on his tippy-toes Thursday evening, just trying to get a glance.

Not only did he open the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club with a 2-under 69, but he brought the trash talk with him. After outdriving Justin Thomas ...

“I don’t like him hitting it by me.” I put my driver up a click in loft at the start of the week, I might have to turn it back down again,” he said. After outdriving Justin Thomas on the ninth hole Thursday — something he did to Thomas and Rory McIlroy all day long on day one in LA — Woods slipped something into Thomas’ hands.

Woods, 47, has not teed it up in a tournament with a cut since The Open last July, and all eyes will be on him to see how he fares at the Players' ...

His last finish at Riviera was a solo 68th in 2020. But he didn't waste another chance at the next finding the target from three feet as he well and truly heated up, first striping his drive down the middle of the fairway before striking a sweet iron shot right at the pin. After a beautiful chip to within feet of the pin, he holed out for birdie and a perfect start to the round. One-under through three, Woods sat down on an ice box by the side of the fourth tee box as he waited for the group ahead to finish playing the par-3 fourth. 'I'm there to get a W, OK? 'If I entered the event, it's always to get a W. Tiger!' before the golf legend took his first shot. Woods his second shot out of the rough on the first just short of the green on the par-5 first He found himself out of position from the tee on five, having to thrash out of the rough The 15-time major winner had warmed up for the event in the Genesis Invitational Pro-Am in Pacific Palisades Wednesday, and despite being the first out at 6.30am, he had plenty of fans in attendance to watch him head out for a vitally important 18 holes. He had the chance to bounce back on the seventh, after sensational iron shot from a left side fairway bunker to give him a look at birdie, but the putt grazed the edge of the cup. Woods's tee shot just found the edge of the rough to the right of the fairway but came cleanly out with his second finishing just short of the green on the par-5 first.

The 15-time major winner was playing his first competitive round in seven months after an injury lay-off but he showed no signs of rustiness as he hit a ...

Tiger Woods pranks playing partner Justin Thomas by cheekily handing him a TAMPON after outdriving him at the Genesis Invitational... Woods' prank signalled that he was in a relaxed mood back on the golf course, and he went on to finish his round in some style. Tiger Woods cheekily handed Justin Thomas a tampon during the opening round on Thursday

15-time major champion Tiger Woods rolled back the years following the opening round of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Golf Course.

"The atmosphere was fantastic. I was able to fight back and get it going. Birdie

Woods shot a two-under-par 69 on Thursday at the Genesis Invitational in Southern California. Every stroke amounted to research for the bigger ambitions ...

“There will come a point in time when my body will not allow me to do that anymore, and it’s probably sooner rather than later,” he said. We have the ability to pick and choose and play a little bit longer.” Open because, as he put it later, there was “no way physically I could have done that.” [At the British Open](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/15/sports/golf/tiger-woods-british-open-missed-cut.html) in July, after he missed the cut, he said it was “hard just to walk and play 18 holes.” (He bounced back from trouble particularly well in those days: [He won his first green jacket the next year](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/04/sports/golf/tiger-woods-1997-masters.html#:~:text=Tiger%20Woods%20was%20not%20supposed,and%20catapulted%20himself%20to%20stardom.).) This week in California, moments after Woods made clear he would not be looking to match Player or Palmer at Augusta, a reporter asked Woods to peer into the future. When he grows weary, he mounts a cart — something he cannot do on the PGA Tour — but has seen his outings go from a few holes to 18. About four months later, after he concluded that he could not play a low-key event in the Bahamas because of plantar fasciitis, he acknowledged without elaboration that his year had included undergoing “a few more procedures because of playing.” “Then, after this event, we’ll analyze it and see what we need to do to get ready for Augusta.” Championship](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/sports/golf/tiger-woods-pga-championship.html), where he was 12 over par after three rounds, he abandoned his plan to play the U.S. [lots of ice, lots of ice baths](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/09/sports/golf/masters-tiger-woods-injuries.html), just basically freezing myself to death” before the next day’s round. He shot a two-under-par 69 on Thursday, ahead of a second round on Friday morning, with each stroke and step at Riviera Country Club a data point in his team’s quest to make a rebuilt body hum to a higher-than-normal standard. What Woods cannot mask — indeed, what he does not even try much to mask — is that every competitive round is effectively 18 holes of rehabilitation research and development.

The bizarre incident happened on the ninth hole after Woods outdrove Thomas from the tee-box.

As Woods and Thomas walked side by side, the 47-year-old forced something into his playing partner’s hand. Woods was playing alongside Thomas and The bizarre incident happened on the ninth hole after Woods outdrove Thomas from the tee-box

Not only did Woods open the Genesis Invitational with a 2-under 69, but he brought the trash talk with him.

Tiger Woods is under scrutiny for handing Justin Thomas a tampon after outdriving him during the opening round of the Genesis Invitational on Thursday.

We are extremely close with the family and we do a lot of things together, and to be able to have that experience tomorrow again." Anna Caplice, Ireland rugby player, tweeted: "If the world generally respected women I would be able to see the funny side of this. "It's just a bit of fun, it's just banter on a golf course. Julie DiCaro, a lawyer and author, tweeted: "Ugh. So played out and stupid." "He's the leader of our game, whatever happens all eyes are on Tiger Woods. "I think he might want to (apologise) knowing what it's caused in the last 24 hours. "Us women all have periods, I know some men find it quite hard to say that out loud. "It can be seen as laddy behaviour but I just think what it says, the inference is not good. It was crass, it was disappointing and I think surprise from my side because he's playing in the Genesis on the PGA Tour. It was supposed to be a private incident but it's now been highlighted. A lot of people have jumped on this and, no wonder, because it's extremely disappointing and I'm surprised the most recognisable golfer on the planet has put himself in this position to be exposed in this way.

It was an unusual sight to see on a golf course -- Tiger Woods handing Justin Thomas a tampon in an apparent prank after outdriving his playing partner on ...

Because I hadn’t been out here so I’ve missed some of the things that have transpired on Tour, which is kind of fun.” The ebb and flow of needling each other, encouraging each other and telling stories. “It was nice that I had this unbelievable pairing, two great guys, two great friends,” Woods said in a press conference afterwards.

Tiger Woods is five shots back after his opening round at the Genesis Invitational, thanks to a wild birdie-birdie-birdie finish.

The prank by Woods received mixed responses, with some fans criticizing the golfer for the suggestive prank and others appreciating the gag.

[https://t.co/XW2A0eedM8] [February 17, 2023] They don’t look like that anymore. I have a hard time believing this is real 💀 but also where in the world did Tiger get that old Tampax tampon. [https://t.co/JIbHYBT3IY] [February 17, 2023] [https://t.co/TTGaoJDzBS] [February 17, 2023] These players might have to say about that:— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) [https://t.co/FPUm8fY1Ka] [February 17, 2023] Call me woke. [https://t.co/iORVyY27hG] [February 17, 2023] Woods was not asked about the exchange between he and Thomas at the ninth hole, but it drew plenty of criticism Friday after people became clued into the attempted gag. The two began to laugh after the exchange. Closer views of the exchange showed it to be a Tampax tampon.

Tiger Woods' apparent prank on his playing partner at the Genesis Invitational tournament has been met with disapproval online.

In 2017 he [pleaded guilty to reckless driving](https://pleaded/%20guilty%20to%20reckless%20driving%20and%20agreed%20to%20enter%20a%20diversion%20programme%20on%20Friday,%20five%20months%20after%20he%20was%20found%20passed%20out%20in%20his%20Mercedes%20with%20prescription%20drugs%20and%20marijuana%20in%20his%20system.) after he was found passed out in his Mercedes with prescription drugs and marijuana in his system. He followed it with a 74 in his second round on Friday to sit on one over par for the tournament – 10 shots adrift of early clubhouse leader Keith Mitchell. I probably should have appreciated the fans more than I did, but there was so much going on in my head.” “Is the joke here to ‘stop playing like a girl?’ Or that periods and tampons indicate weakness?” The incident caused a disapproving backlash on social media. “If I offended anybody in any way, shape or form, I’m sorry.

On Tuesday, Tiger Woods assured reporters that making shots wasn't an issue. And he went out and demonstrated that on Thursday.

Woods took off his right shoe several occasions throughout the round to alter his ankle brace and sock. The Adani Group will seek to refinance about $1.2 billion worth of foreign-currency bonds ahead of maturity and prune discretionary capital expenditure, key finance executives at the conglomerate told investors during a conference call late Thursday. He continued to walk with a tiny hiccup throughout the whole round as he tried to relieve pressure on his right ankle. It was anticipated that Woods would struggle on the back nine given his physical condition. [Riviera Country Club](/topic/riviera-country-club)clubhouse is rather steep. Woods battled for crucial parts throughout the course of more than five hours, recovered from three bogeys, and finished with a flurry of legendary shots that completely altered the tone of his game.

Tiger Woods, a 15-time major champion, brought his A-game and trash talk to the Genesis Invitational, including his pranks.

"I'm going to go work on the range. "I don't like him hitting it by me." Tiger Woods said he was feeling 'sore' but is only 5 shots off the pace after the first round of the Genesis Invitational.

The 47-year-old teed it up for round two after he birdied the last three holes to record an incredible two-under-par first round yesterday as he proved he ...

Landing in the perfect spot, it rolled within a foot of a hole and an easy tap in for his first birdie of the day. Tiger Woods slumps to back-to-back bogeys in his second round at the Genesis Invitational to finish one-over... Woods riled up the bleary-eyed crowd with a near ace. The star was made to rue two missed putts for birdie on his opening two holes of the day Another missed birdie putt on the par-three 16th followed but Woods showed glimpses of his heyday with a fantastic approach to the 17th green, sticking the landing to claw his way back to two-under. - The 47-year-old carded a round of two-under for his first round on Thursday

During Tiger Woods' much-anticipated return to golf Thursday at the Genesis Invitational, he pulled a controversial prank on Justin Thomas.

When Woods arrived on the 9th tee, he was one under for the round and fresh off a birdie at the 8th. The mood grew even more festive on the back nine, which Woods closed out with a trio of birdies (2-4-3 on his card), moving from one over to two under in three holes. Woods tossed his putter on his bag, glanced over at Thomas and shot him a cheeky grin, to which Thomas could only shake his head. He’s nervous as can be because he didn’t want to be the one to miss on 18. I didn’t want to be the idiot host to miss it right in front of everybody after I just went birdie-birdie. Some of that razzing came on the 9th hole, where Woods had blistered a 323-yard drive past both of his partners. But given Woods’ place in the golf world, it’s hard not to look at the pre-meditated stunt as a head-scratcher. Playing in a glittering group with Thomas and Rory McIlroy, Woods’ ball speed was so zippy that on occasions he outdrove his long-hitting partners. “It was nice that I had this unbelievable pairing, two great guys, two great friends,” Woods said after posting a three-under 69. In the scramble format, Mike had dumped his tee shot in a fairway bunker. Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas have a long history of needling one another. A couple of years ago at the PNC Championship, Charlie — who was playing alongside his father in the team event — left a note for Thomas and his father, Mike, who were playing in the group behind the Woods.

Follow Tiger Woods with shot-by-shot live updates from his Friday round at the PGA Tour's 2023 Genesis Invitational.

He’ll have a wedge to the green and a great chance to get back to even on the day. He lands his tee shot on the fringe and lets it release towards the back right pin for a tap-in birdie. Really nothing much to say here, just a perfect shot at the right time to keep his round in check. The miss on Thursday was right and the same holds true today as Tiger loses another one off the tee, this time into the gallery, and without a helpful kick off a tree. That’ll be about 14 feet for par but he doesn’t give it the credit it deserves and misses on the right. He’s a long way from the green but he’s at least got a shot at it. He came away with a pretty good lie and actually had a shot at the flag from 138 yards out but he left it short, maybe a club short. It hit a tree and kicked back to the left in the rough towards the fairway. Misses this one from eight feet on the amateur side, just didn’t pair the pace with the line. He stuffed his tee shot at the par-3 16th, canned his first 20-plus footer of the round on No. It’s early and cold, so easing into the round with an iron and leaving a clean shot from the fairway was smart. Playing alongside good friends Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas for the first two rounds, Woods birdied his final three holes on Thursday for a 2-under 69 to put himself in position to make the weekend cut.

Tiger Woods' return to the PGA Tour caught the sports world by storm on Thursday. However, a prank that Woods played on Justin Thomas became the story a day ...

However, a prank that Woods played on Justin Thomas became the story a day later. “If I offended anyone that was not the case," he said. If I offended anyone, I’m sorry.”

The 15-time major champ came close to his long-awaited fourth career PGA Tour ace during Day 2 of the 2023 Genesis Invitational.

He made an ace in each of his first three years as a pro (1996 Greater Milwaukee Open, 1997 Phoenix Open), but hasn't made one in a tournament since. Have a look as drinks were almost on the tournament host: Tiger Woods has a lot of work to do if he's going to end his notorious winless drought at Riviera.

Tiger Woods finished with three bogeys on his final four holes Friday and is in danger of missing the cut.

And then middle part of the round I could’ve turned it around a little bit and I did not.” “I could’ve easily got off to a very hot start and I did not. “It was supposed to be all fun and games, but obviously it hasn’t turned out that way,” Woods said of the gesture. It was not intended to be that way.” Reflecting on his second-round performance Friday, Woods said he misjudged the wind on Nos. Then, obviously, I had a very bad finish too.”

Tiger Woods shot 74 on Friday at the Genesis Invitational, putting his chances of making the cut (and playing the weekend) in flux.

[Data Golf](https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour) gives Woods a better than three-in-four chance of making it to the weekend. At one over, he has a chance of making the cut, but we’ll have to wait and see what the afternoon wave does. ET), with the last members of the afternoon wave just starting their second round, Just didn’t make the putts early and the middle part of the round when I had those opportunities. And they weren’t very hard putts, I just hit bad putts and obviously had a very bad finish, too.” He bogeyed three of his last four, including his last two holes, to shoot 74.

Tiger Woods apologized Friday for what he called a prank on playing partner Justin Thomas during the first round of the Genesis Invitational on Thursday.

"Yeah, it was supposed to be all fun and games and obviously it hasn't turned out that way," Woods said. "It was not intended to be that way. Thomas immediately dropped it to the ground, and Woods put his arm around Thomas' shoulder as they laughed.

After lighting up Riviera on Thursday, Woods bogeyed three of his last four holes on Friday.

Tiger Woods apologized Friday for his controversial attempt at humor during Thursday's round, which involved Justin Thomas and a tampon.

[PodBean](https://dropzonegolf.podbean.com/) [Stitcher](https://www.stitcher.com/show/golfcom-podcast) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5tCHGYbvzziD2cyntgfseS?si=7d9c60166f054228) [iHeart](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-drop-zone-golf-podcast-86279832/) Then it became background to a viral tweet about [what Woods did shortly after teeing off on the 9th hole](https://golf.com/news/tiger-woods-tone-deaf-prank-genesis-invitational/), for which he apologized on Friday. “Yeah, it was supposed to be all fun and games and obviously it hasn’t turned out that way,” Woods said.

'Insensitive and crass': Tiger's 'bizarre' tampon prank divides stunned golf world.

“It was a great round,” Woods said. You can’t pick and choose when to be a feminist.” It was crass, it was disappointing and I think surprise from my side because he’s playing in the Genesis on the PGA Tour. “It can be seen as laddy behaviour but I just think what it says, the inference is not good,” she said. “I think that’s not what we want to be showcasing in the world of sport. “It was supposed to be all fun and games and obviously it hasn’t turned out that way,” Woods said following his second round at the Genesis Invitational. “Call me woke. I think not! He loves his kids to bits. To me it was laddy, blokey behaviour, passing him the tampon effectively saying: ‘I’ve outdriven you’, ‘you’re driving the ball like a women’, effectively the inference of the incident that happened and that to me says females, women are inferior to men. “I’m a female working in sport. JT and Tiger Woods, good buddies, play a lot together.

Woods is looking to make the cut on tour for the first time since the 2022 PGA Championship.

Woods was 10 shots off the lead (Keith Mitchell maintained his overnight lead with a 69 moving him to nine under) when he finished Friday at lunchtime, but it’s more about those beneath Woods on the leaderboard. Woods has not played weekend golf since the Saturday of last year’s PGA Championship, when he made the cut at Southern Hills only to withdraw injured before the final round. “If I chipped it up on top, there's a chance that it could actually come back to the front part of the green,” Woods said of the decision to putt around, rather than chip it over, the bunker. Then the middle part of the round I could have turned it around a little bit, and I did not.” Among those was putting it straight into the famed bunker in the middle of the green on the par-3 sixth, one of three back-nine bogeys that halted his momentum. 10 Friday morning, Woods battled to an even par front nine with birdies at the par-3 14th and par-5 17th.

He was seen passing Justin Thomas a tampon after outdriving him on the ninth hole.

Woods finishes second day with three bogeys for a 74 and Homa leading after some big par saves for 3-under 68.

“That’s arguably the best bounce I’ve seen in person my whole golf career and it would be hard to beat in the future.” Rahm has nine consecutive Top 10s dating to September, four of those victories, and he is close to returning to No 1 in the world. His round ended with trouble off the tee that led to bogey, but he had no complaints at 11-under 131 and his name atop the leaderboard. Rory McIlroy had a 69 and was four back. He made it on the number. He was at 1-over 143, leaving him 11 shots behind leader Max Homa, but certain to make the cut when the second round is completed Saturday morning.

Tiger Woods' ball speeds have hovered near 180 mph this week at Riviera — but how is he still able to generate so much power?

“Yes, I can hit the ball harder, but it’s just, I’ve got to be very careful in how I go about that,” he said. “I don’t have that ability anymore, so a lot of it’s just purely core strength but also being very careful because my back is fused.” Without the strength in his legs that he had in his prime, creating ground force reactions is a bit tricky. The tough part of that reality is that without using the ground, generating power becomes quite difficult. But perhaps the most striking thing about Woods’ play thus far have been his ball-speed numbers — particularly with the driver. Golf fans have been enamored since the second he teed it up this week at Riviera.